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BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


AND 

HUSKS  OF  SWINE; 

OE, 

•r 

THE  CURSE  OF  JEALOUSY. 


BALTIMOEE: 
PRINTED  BY  JOHN  Y.  SLATER, 

SOUTH  &  GERMAN  STREETS. 
1874. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1873,  by 
M.  E.  PINCKARD, 
in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


Buy  this  hooJc,  dear  reader.  It  is  to  dry  the  Widow's  tears 
and  stop  the  Orphan^ s  cry. 

"Goawayiuith  your  booh.  We  have  Orphans  enough  at 
home." 

Buy  it,  Jcind  and  courteous  reader.  We  never  knew  those 
who  mahe  a  hobby  of  "good  works  at  home,''  who  did  much 
at  home  or  abroad. 

THE  AUTHOR. 

iii 


TO  THE  CRITICS. 


EAE  Critics,    ^"e  know  it  is  an  unusual  thing  for  a 


writer  to  forestall  your  honorable  selves,  and  criticise 
liis  or  lier  own  works.  But  as  there  are  things  new  and  old 
to  be  brought  out  of  the  treasury,  and  as  we  never  care  to 
tread  in  the  usual  beaten  path  of  the  multitude,  therefore 
we  depart  from  it  in  this  instance,  and  come  to  present  our 
humble  self  before  your  august  presence. 

In  thfe  Paiges  of  our  book,  to  which  we  indirectly  allude, 
there  are  some  good  ideas,  there  are  some  unique,  there  are 
some  unusual,  and  some  that  may  be  thought  a  little  out  of 
the  way  by  some.  It  is  your  good,  sober,  honest,  righteous 
judgment  we  want ;  not  your  carping,  cavilling,  fault- 
finding without  reason,  your  harsh  and  cruel  criticisms  of 
many  things  which  you  could  not  perhaps  mend  yourselves. 
For  we  ourself  are  critical  and  scrutinizing  to  an  extent 
you  would  not  look  for  in  one  about  his  or  her  own  works. 
If  you  criticise  too  severely,  we  can  wrap  you  up  in  a  sheet 
of  irony  equal  to  any  you  could  use.  Our  sarcasm  would 
not  fail  to  make  you  feel,  be  ye  stoic  or  cynic. 

Tliere  are  some  lucid  lines  in  our  book,  and  there  are 
some  that  seem  to  show  a  bemuddled  brain  at  times^  wliich, 

1*  V 


vi 


TO  THE  CRITICS-, 


if  you  are  writers  yourselves,  you  know  to  be  altogether 
unavoidable,  unless  one  had  the  power,  time,  and  oppor- 
tunity to  throw  his  pen  down  every  time  a  cloud  over- 
shadowed him,  and  wait  for  the  clear  dawning  and  rising 
of  his  intellectual  sun. 

If,  in  some  of  the  delineations  in  the  darkest  and  most 
sorrowful  pages  of  this  work,  there  is  not  that  euphemism 
which  becomes  good  taste,  we  shall  thank  you  from  our 
heart  to  point  it  out  to  us. 

The  Author. 


PREFACE. 


"Mv  dreams  have  boded  all  too  riglit  — 
We  part  —  forever  —  to-night  I 
I  knevr,  I  knevr  it  could  not  last, — 

-'T  was  bright,  't  was  heavenly^  but 't  is  past  I 

"Oh  I  ever  thus,  from  childhood's  hour, 
I've  seen  mj  fondest  hopes  decay ; 
I  never  loved  a  tree  or  flower, 
But 't  was  the  first  to  fade  away. 

"I  never  nursed  a  dear  gazelle, 

To  glad  me  with  its  soft,  black  eye, 
But  when  it  came  to  know  me  well, 

And  love  me,  it  was  sure  to  die.      -  ■ 

"  Men's  natures  wrangle  with  inferior  things, 
Though  great  ones  are  their  objects; 
Trifles  light  as  air  are,  to  the  jealous, 

Confirmations  strong  as  proofs  of  holy  writ." 

There  is  in  this  wide  world  an  opinion  rife  that  "misery  loves 
company."'  —  Shaeiespeake. 

THE  humble  Peri  of  these  pages  dissents  from  this 
in  a  general  sense.  Though  sympathv^  sweet  sym- 
pathvj  congenial  sympathy^  is  as  refreshing  to  the  weary 
soul  as  the  dew  of  heaven  on  parched  plants ;  yet,  to 

gee  others  miserable^  and  ourselves  equally  miserable, 

vii 


viii 


PREFACE. 


without  the  power  to  soothe,  is,  to  the  truly  sensitive, 
magnanimous  soul,  an  accumulation  of  sorrow,  an  agony 
of  horror,  too  great  to  be  borne  without  tears,  pity,  and 
anguish  of  heart.  Like  the  Man  of  sorrows,  she  would 
rather  suffer  alone,  than  to  see  others  suffer  without 
relief. 


INTRODUCTOEY  REMARKS. 


TN  the  follomng  pages  tliere  is  mucli  delineated  of  heart 
sorrows ;  and  we  once  thought  of  giving  it  a  different 
title  from  that  which  now  appears  at  the  head  of  each  page. 
Some  few  objected,  and  some  liked  the  title  first  written ; 
but  none  have  objected  to  this,  except  such  as  thought  it 
a  metaphysical  disquisition,  which  they  imagined  "  The 
Bread  of  Heaven  and  the  Husks  of  Swine  "  indicated,  not 
knowing  how  nicely  the  hero  can  be  represented  eating 
the  Husks  of  Swine  when  he  is  wild  with  fury  and  pas- 
sion on  account  of  trifles  light  as  air,"  and  how  eating 
the  Bread  of  Heaven,  when  in  his  lucid  moments,  heaven 
seems  to  be  on  earth  to  him,  and  all  nature  dancing  with 
joy.  So  great  is  his  apparent  happiness,  one  would  think 
his  equanimity  would  never  be  disturbed  again,  not  the 
ripple  of  a  wave  would  ever  ruffle  the  smooth  surface  of  his 
mind.  But,  oh,  how  delusive  and  illusive  all  such  appear- 
ances !  Does  not  the  king  of  beasts,  the  lordly  lion,  have 
his  calm  moments?  When  appetite  i5  appeased,  and  he  in 
repose,  then  all  his  ferocious  passions  are  asleep.  But  are 
they  dead  ?  Oh,  no.  Once  let  him  awake  from  his  quieting 
slumbers,  and  feel  the  keen  force  of  his  di'eadful,  fierce 

is. 


X  INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 

appetite  for  food,  and  woe  be  to  the  weaker  animal  which 
might  chance  to  be  in  his  way.  So  with  our  hero.  When  in 
his  lair,  like  the  wild  beast,  he  was  perfectly  calm,  and 
when  he  awoke  with  a  sense  of  his  dreadful  passions  all 
aroused,  woe  be  to  the  victim  who  had  the  temerity  to  dare 
oppose  him. 

Hence  we  conclude  that  we  see  a  great  many  who  eat 
more  of  the  husks  of  the  swine  than  the  bread  of  heaven, 
because  unrestrained  and  unbridled  passion  seems  to  be  so 
pleasant  to  them,  while  indulging  in  it.  Behold  the  in- 
ebriate !  What  a  delirium  of  happiness  he  seems  to  enjoy. 
He  is  the  richest  man  in  all  the  country. 

O  passion,  blind  passion,  unbridled  passion — passion  for 
spirituous  liquors,  for  vices  of  every  hue  and  color,  and  of 
deepest  dye !  how  thou  hast  slain  thy  thousands  and  ten 
thousands !  The  sword  hath  been  weak  where  man's  mul- 
titudinous passions  held  the  mastery. 

And  now,  dear  reader,  as  every  book  put  forth  is,  or  ought 
to  be,  for  entertainment  or  amusement,  —  and  our  little 
book  claims  to  be  of  the  former,  —  walk  with  me  into  some 
large  grove.  Imagine  a  very  large  party  assembled,  and, 
as  it  is  customary  to  drink  toasts  before  or  after  the  repast, 
we  prefer  drinking  our  toast  before  partaking  of  what  is 
set  before  us. 

There  are  things  new  and  old  before  us.  Some  of  the 
viands  seem  more  of  the  herb,  others  of  the  bitter  sort : 
these  may  do  those  good  who  have  had  the  roses  and 
sweet  spices  all  their  lives.  A  little  contrast  may  do  no 
harm,  if  it  be  only  to  bring  to  their  thoughts  the  amount 


INTRODUCTOEY  EEMAEKS.  xi 

of  bitter  herbs  wbicli  has  fallen  to  the  lot  of  many  of  the 
sisterhood  of  this  world,  who  are  as  good,  or  perhaps  better, 
than  we,  who  have  had  nothing  but  delicacies  and  lux- 
uries, flowery  paths  and  rosy  beds. 

And  now,  seeing  we  have  some  variety  at  our  banquet- 
ing-board,  we  bow  most  respectfully  to  our  guests,  among 
whom  we  see  some  of  all  nations,  and  kindred,  and  tongues 
assembled,  and  drink  our  toast  most  cordially :  —  May  you, 
dear  readers,  one  and  all,  live  long  and  happy  lives,  with 
peace  and  plenty,  being  crowned  with  quiet  within  all  the 
borders  of  our  beloved  land.  May  the  God  of  the  Bible 
be  our  God.  May  we,  Phoenix-like,  rise  from  our  ashes, 
stand  firm  and  unconquerable,  the  citizens  of  the  greatest 
country  in  the  world.  May  each  and  every  reader  be  the 
better  for  reading  "  The  Bread  of  Heaven,  and  Husks  of 
Swine ; "  and  inspired  with  thanks  that  one  of  your  fellow- 
beings,  at  least,  determined,  by  the  grace  of  God,  never  to 
be  grieved  to  death,  never  to  be  conquered,  but  to  go  on 
conquering  and  to  conquer,  through  the  great  power  of  Him 
who  sat  on  the  white  horse,  and  had  power  given  Him  to 
go  "  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer,"  till  all  our  foes  be 
made  our  footstool.  "  That  our  sons  may  be  as  plants  grown 
up  in  their  youth ;  that  our  daughters  may  be  as  corner- 
stones, polished  after  the  similitude  of  a  palace ;  that  our 
gamers  Tnay  be  full,  affording  all  manner  of  store ;  that  our 
sheep  may  bring  forth  thousands  and  ten  thousands  in  our 
streets ;  that  our  oxen  may  be  strong  to  labor ;  that  there 
be  no  breaking  in  nor  going  out ;  that  there  be  no  complain- 
ing in  our  streets.  Happy  is  that  people  that  is  in  such  a 
case :  yea,  happy  is  that  people,  whose  God  is  the  Lord." 


COyiEXTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Grace  CLAIEOE^'E  15 

CHAPTER  II. 
Ax  EyEXY     '  .    ■  32 

CHAPTEE  III. 
Geace"s  Maeeiage  —  The  Caaip-Meetixg  ...  52 

CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Geeex-Eyed  Mo^-^TEE  .  .  .      .  .72 

CHAPTER  V. 
BiETH  A2rD  Death  of  Geace's  Eiest  Child.      .      .  92 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Teouble  about  SiixiTH's  Peopeety     .      .      .  .112 

CHAPTER  XIL 
MoEE  OE  Smith's  Pal?e  Acctsatioxs  ....  132 

CHAPTER  VIIL 

TEOrELE?  AlrLTIPLY        .......  153 

2  xiu 


Xiv  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX.  PAQB 
Makeiage  of  Jerome  Smith.      .....  174 

CHAPTER  X. 
Jerome  Smith   194 

CHAPTER  XI. 
False  Accusations  of  Smith     .  '   ,      .      .      .  213 

CHAPTER  XII. 
An  Unfortunate  Camp-Meeting      ....  229 

CHAPTER  XIIL 
Mr.  Smith  and  the  Preacher  249 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Mrs.  Smith's  Enemies  Rejoice  269 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Mrs.  Smith's  Return  286 


BEEAD  OF  HEAYEN, 
HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


CHAPTEE  I. 

GRACE  CLAIBORNE. 

AY  some  angel  guide  my  hand,  and  enable  me  to  dip 
my  pen  in  the  ink  of  heaven,  while  I  bring  forth 
these  long  pent-up  facts  —  these  ghosts  of  the  past!  Touch 
my  lips  with  a  live  coal  from  thine  altar ;  let  the  ser- 
aphim fly  to  me,  and  inspire  me  so  that  my  tongue  may  be 
as  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer !  Come  hither,  thou  spirit  of 
former  days,  and  let  us  commune  together,  and  in  thy 
might  wake  up  the  power  of  memory  to  arraign  these 
deeds  of  other  days,  so  as  to  make  a  just  and  proper  rev- 
elation of  the  "  Bread  of  heaven,  and  husks  of  swine." 

To  write  of  the  acts  of  mankind  has  been  the  custom  of 
all  ages  of  the  world.  Holy  writ  abounds  with  descrip- 
tions of  the  conduct  of  the  people  of  the  earth  of  olden 
times.  Abel,  though  dead,  yet  speaketh ;  Abraham  speaks 
in  his  life  and  faith,  so  that  he  has  the  name  of  the  friend 
of  God  entailed  as  an  unalienable  right;  Moses,  as  the 
man  who  spake  face  to  face  with  his  Maker. 

15 


16 


BREAD  OF 


HEAVEN, 


Job  said,  "  Oh,  that  my  words  were  now  written !  oh, . 
that  they  were  printed  in  a  book !    That  they  were  graven 
with  an  iron  pen  and  lead  in  the  rock  forever ! " 

About  forty  years  ago  a  gentleman  and  lady  might  have 
been  seen  wending  their  solitary  way  homeward  from  a 
camp-meeting  which  they  had  attended.  It  was  drawing 
towards  the  middle  of  autumn  —  about  the  eighth  or  ninth 
of  October.  Nature  had  assumed  her  sombre  hue  rather 
prematurely ;  the  leaves  were  bearing  nearly  all  the  colors 
of  the  rainbow,  and  falling  to  mother  Earth  with  that 
gravity  which  propels  all  bodies  to  her  level.  The  beauties 
of  the  Indian  summer,  when  the  leaves  seem  to  retain 
nearly  all  their  virgin  green,  had  passed,  and  all  nature 
began  to  clothe  herself  in  robes  of  winter. 

The  gentleman  was  the  superior  of  the  lady  in  age  about 
twenty  years,  he  being  about  forty,  and  she  about  twenty 
years  old.  His  form  was  tall  and  rather  slender,  his  com- 
plexion fair  and  almost  ruddy,  his  hair  dark  and  tinged 
with  gray,  his  eyes  clear  blue  and  small,  with  an  under,  or 
rather  suspicious  leer,  unobserved  to  the  casual  looker-on ; 
his  face  was  long,  projecting  cheek-bones,  flat  forehead, 
Grecian  nose,  with  a  firm-set  chin,  and  mouth  indicating 
great  obstinacy  when  laboring  under  preconceived  opinions, 
either  right  or  wrong.  When  under  the  influence  of  his 
better  nature,  and  laughing  with  good-humor,  or  even  in 
repose,  his  placid  countenance  could  never  indicate  to 
angel-like  purity  that  the  demon  of  suspicion  found  a  rest- 
ing-place in  his  heart 

The  lady  was  rather  tall  and  slender,  with  fair  com- 
plexion, auburn  hair,  hazel  eyes,  Grecian  nose,  prominent 
cheeks,  high,  intellectual  forehead,  round  chin,  and  mouth 
indicating  the  utmost  good-humor  and  credulity,  and  snow- 
white*  hands,  as  though  the  sun  had  never  shone  upon  them. 
Her  countenance,  when  in  gladness,  bespeaking  the  vivid. 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


17 


lightning-like  intelligence,  magnanimity  and  universal  love 
to  mankind,  blended  with  no  thought  of  evil.  When  in 
sorrow,  a  sweet,  subdued  sadness  pervaded  her  whole  face, 
and  a  reserve  and  secretiveriess  of  grief  that  was  sure  to  be 
visible  to  one  at  all  versed  in  the  heart, —  a  mirror^  per- 
fectly transparent,  and  a  great  tell-tale,  whilst  she,  noble 
soul,  thought  all  secure  and  hidden  way  down  in  the  lowest 
chambers  of  her  heart. 

This  woman  was  his  wife  —  a  bride  of  two  months.  Mr. 
Napoleon  Smith,  the  gentleman,  said  to  his  handsome,  in- 
telligent wife,  on  their  return  home,  some  cutting,  cruel, 
unjust  words,  which  we  will  not  repeat  just  yet. 

Now  Mrs.  Smith,  formerly  Miss  Grace  Claiborne,  had 
been  brought  up  in  the  most  refined  parts  of  the  State  of 
 ,  had  received  a  liberal  education,  and  was  in  posses- 
sion of  every  grace  and  virtue  which  so  highly  adorn 
feminine  character,  and  which  is  sure  to  give  a  passport 
into  polite  circles  of  society.  The  reverence,  respect,  and 
warm  love  bestowed  upon  this  young  disciple  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  would  have  been  grateful  to  one  much  older 
in  years  than  she.  She  was  almost  an  idol  among  the 
serious,  the  great,  the  good,  and  the  wise,  —  an  object  of 
respect  and  esteem  and  admiration  among  all  classes  in 
her  native  town  and  county.  Although  not  reared  in 
the  lap  of  luxury  as  some,  yet  a  competency  for  her  present 
wants,  and  the  blessing,  the  chosen  blessing,  of  "  seeking  first 
the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteousness,  with  the  belief 
that  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you,  were  hers."  It 
was  not  then  as  now,  that  Mammon,  the  meanest  spirit  that 
infested  heaven,  who  could  not  so  much  as  walk  erect  there 
for  beholding  the  gold  (instead  of  adoring  God),  had  such 
complete  dominion  over  the  hearts  and  lives  of  the  inhab- 
itants of  this  Mammon-cursed  world,  that  modest  virtue 
and  merit  went  unnoticed  by.  No  ;  she  was  honored  and 
2*  B 


18 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


respected,  and  held  up  to  the  view  of  many  as  an  example 
worthy  of  imitation.  Mothers  were  wont  to  tell  their 
daughters  not  to  do  thus  and  so  when  Grace  Claiborne  was 
about.  Classmates  were  heard  to  say,  "There  is  but  one 
Christian  in  school,  and  that  is  Grace  Claiborne."  Church 
members  would  even  say  to  her  own  mother,  "  Grace  is  an 
example  to  her  own  father  and  mother ; "  and  she  was  the 
first  to  confess  and  own  Christ  in  her  own  family.  Al- 
though happy  in  her  father's  house,  in  the  society  of  her 
excellent  mother  and  three  sisters,  yet,  as  her  father  was  at 
times  a  worshipper  of  Bacchus,  this  one  thing  was  a  grief 
to  her,  as  he  by  this  means  spent  much  money  that  might 
have  been  infinitely  better  bestowed  upon  his  wife  and  four 
lovely  daughters.  This  circumstance,  more  than  anything 
else,  together  with  her  innate  desire  for  independence,  and 
reliance  on  her  own  powers  and  ability,  had  caused  her  to 
go  forth  in  quest  of  employment  as  a  teacher  in  the  acad- 
emy of — — ,  some  hundred  miles  distant  from  her  native 
town.  To  this  situation  she  had  been  elected  by  the 
unanimous  voice  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  that  place ; 
and  hither  she  had  been  brought  by  a  relative  of  her 
father  —  a  cousin,  who  seemed  to  manifest  a  great  interest 
in  her  welfare. 

Almost  universal  applause,  love,  and  esteem  had  followed 
her  up  to  this  time  for  her  many  virtues,  sterling  qualities, 
and,  not  the  least  among  them,  her  deep  and  ardent  piety. 
Although  her  father  was  occasionally  given  to  inebriation, 
yet  she  had  at  an  early  age,  as  before  stated,  connected  her- 
self with  that  branch  of  Christ's  Church  called  Methodist ; 
and  had  not  only  done  this,  but  showed  by  her  every-day 
walk  and  conversation,  that  she  considered  her  home  not  on 
earth,  but  in  heaven.  At  this  new  place,  to  which  she  had 
been  conveyed  by  her  cousin,  Mr.  Evans,  the  same  popular 
favor  was  attendant  on  her  as  heretofore. 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


19 


Having  never  had  a  brother,  her  young  and  ardent  feel- 
ings, heightened  by  her  strong  Christian  affections,  mixed 
with  great  gratitude,  soon  ran  out  to  this  cousin  in  most 
devoted  sisterly  love,  whom  she  looked  upon  in  the  light  of 
a  most  exalted  and  noble  brother.  For  how  could  she,  noble 
herself,  behold  him  take  such  interest  in  her  welfare,  with- 
out returning  it  at  least  in  gratitude  and  prayers  for  his 
everlasting  happiness  ?  She  never  had  possessed  a  brother ; 
she  now  had  one,  and  the  very  thought  was  exhilarating, 
and  was  a  sense  of  protection  to  her  in  her  lonely  wander- 
ings from  her  mother  and  sisters,  to  whom  she  was  deeply 
devoted.  The  sentiment,  that  man  does  not  act  without 
interested  friendship,  had  no  place  nor  thought  in  her  un- 
sophisticated mind. 

He  was  a  young  widower,  in  his  widower's  garb  or  sign 
of  sorrow.  He  seemed  to  have  been  ardently  attached  to 
his  lost  wife.  Previous  to  her  going  to  this  new  place,  Grace 
had  attended  school  some  ten  months  in  a  small  town  m 
the  county  adjoining  the  one  in  which  she  had  been 
brought  up.  To  this  little  town  her  cousin  Evans  had 
gone  for  her.  They  seemed  to  know  each  other  by  instinct 
on  his  arrival,  having  never  met  before,  but  corresponded 
by  letter. 

"  Cousin  Grace,"  said  he,  "  I  believe  every  one  is  in  a  stir 
about  your  leaving.  As  soon  as  I  arrived  at  the  hotel,  Mr. 
T  asked  me  if  I  had  not  come  for  Miss  Claiborne  ?  " 

Here  she  had  attended  her  scholastic  duties  with  most 
untiring  assiduity,  had  completed  her  course  of  studies,  and 
gained  for  herself  many  laurels  of  renown,  unperishable  as 
time  in  the  memories  of  the  past — had  conducted  herself  so 
as  to  gain  the  esteem  of  all  the  good,  and  had  many  warm 
friends. 

And  among  them,  not  the  least,  was  her  almost  adored 
teacher,  Mrs.  A  S  ,  whose  celebrity  as  an  instructress 


20 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


followed  her  wherever  she  went ;  for  truly  she  was  a  noble 
and  exalted  woman,  and  gave  Miss  Grace  Claiborne,  at 
her  departure  from  her  school,  high  testimonials  of  her 
regard  in  commending  her  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  as  one 
of  her  most  beloved  pupils,  possessed  of  an  amiable  disposi- 
tion, and  every  other  quality  requisite  for  a  teacher  of  the 
feminine  mind. 

Evans  arrived  at  the  place  on  a  Saturday  afternoon. 
Miss  Claiborne  could  not  think  of  setting  out  on  a  journey 
the  next  day,  being  the  holy  Sabbath  day.  So,  by  the 
united  voice  of  the  household  where  she  dwelt,  they  all 
attended  a  quarterly  meeting  that  day,  distant  some  ten  or 
twelve  miles. 

Miss  Claiborne  thought  Evans  appeared  rather  melan- 
choly, as  well  he  might,  when  he  had  so  recently  buried 
a  lovely  wife.  She  endeavored  to  cheer  him.  He  was 
dreamily  hanging  his  whip  outside  the  carriage  in  which 
they  rode,  and  looking  at  it  musingly. 

"  Are  you  fishing  ?  "  said  she,  playfully. 

He  laughed  cheerily ;  the  idea  amused  him,  and  his  gloom 
in  a  measure  passed  away.  And  from  that  time  their  con- 
versation was  more  lively. 

That  night  (Sabbath  night)  the  head  of  the  family,  at 
whose  house  she  had  boarded  during  her  stay  in  that  town, 
came  home :  she  called  him  her  father  -  cousin,  being  an 
own  cousin  to  her  father  on  his  mother's  side.  Evans  ex- 
pressed himself  to  be  well  pleased  with  this  gentleman  and 

his  wife.    Mr.  A          was  one  of  that  kind  of  men  in 

whom  one  can  have  all  confidence,  and  the  more  you  have 
dealings  with,  the  better  you  like  them,  and  the  more  im- 
plicit faith  can  be  reposed  in  their  veracity  and  honesty. 
He  was  a  devoted  Christian  and  an  honest  man  ;  the  father 
of  a  lovely  family  of  children,  and  the  husband  of  an  excel- 
lent wife.    He  had  good  servants,  and  plenty  of  the  good 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


21 


things  of  life  around  him,  and  was  one  that  could  afford  to 
be  hospitable,  and  who  delighted  to  be  so.  His  house  was 
a  home  for  the  servants  of  God,  while  he  was  good  to  all 
who  were  in  need  —  a  noble  specimen  of  manhood  in  every 
respect. 

Next  morning,  being  Monday,  Evans  and  Miss  Claiborne 
set  out  on  their  journey,  and  bade  the  dear  teacher  and  all 
her  friends  farewell.  The  father-cousin  in  particular  seemed 
to  regret,  the  loss  of  his  affectionate  cousin,  as  did  also  his 
wife,  to  whom  Miss  Claiborne  Avas  much  attached. 

"  Cousin  Grace,"  said  she,  "  I  think  you  can  get  a  hus- 
band as  soon  as  you  will  say  the  word." 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  said  Grace.   "  Cousin  iST  ,  I  never  thought 

of  such  a  thing." 

"  Mr.  Evans,"  said  Mrs.  A  S  ,  the  kind  teacher, 

"Miss  Grace  is  subject  to  despondency  sometimes;  you 
must  cheer  her  up,  and  not  let  hgr  spirits  droop." 

The  father-cousin  imprinted  the  fatherly  kiss  on  her  fair 
cheeks,  and  so  did  his  wife,  and  said : 

"  Take  care  of  Cousin  Grace,  for  we  all  think  a  great 
deal  of  her." 

So  they  bade  adieu  to  the  kindly  people  of  S  ,  and 

sped  on  their  way. 

About  two  miles  distant  from  the  village,  as  they  were 
crossing  a  little  branch,  Evans  exclaimed : 

"  Well,  Cousin  Grace,  I  am  glad  of  one  thing." 

"  What  is  that  ? "  said  she. 

"That  I  have  brought  you  off  untrammelled,"  he  re- 
plied. 

"  You  are  not  so  sure  of  that,"  she  answered. 

For  she  had  left  loving  hearts  behind,  to  whom  her  grati- 
tude was  so  great  for  their  affectionate  conduct  towards  her, 
that  we  do  not  think  she  knew  how  to  define  her  own  feel- 
ings.   With  regard  to  love  concerning  marriage,  we  do  not 


22 


BREAD  OP  HEAVEN, 


think  slie  liad  any  thought  at  that  time.  She  regarded 
them  all  particularly  as  dear  friends,  and  loved  none  spe- 
cially. And  why  she  should  have  given  the  evasive  answer 
above  we  cannot  tell,  unless  it  were  to  guard  her  too  fond 
and  susceptible  heart  against  any  new  approach  on  its  fine- 
toned  feelings.  Certain  it  is  that  she  did  love  her  cousin. 
But  she  thought  his  dear  wife  too  recently  buried,  to 
speak  of  love  to  another;  and  mayhap  he  had  no  such 
thought,  either.  Coquetry  she  was  incapable  of,  hence  we 
cannot  define  this  case.  It  was  ever  painful  to  her  kind 
heart  to  be  addressed  by  any ;  for,  no  matter  how  unpleas- 
ant the  person  or  persons  might  be,  she  thought  it  her 
bounden  duty  to  be  polite  to  all.  This  we  think  the  only 
true  course  for  every  lady,  who  respects  herself,  to  pursue. 

And  no  matter  how  much  those  vain  fellows  may  pique 
themselves  upon  the  false  idea  that  every  lady  or  young 
girl,  who  may  treat  them  with  kindness  and  courtesy,  is  in 
love  with  them,  yet  it  should  not  hinder  or  deter  from  this 
course  being  pursued  by  all  ladies ;  for  these  silly  ones  will 
have  ample  opportunity  to  find  out  their  mistake,  notwith- 
standing all  their  boastings  or  sayings  on  the  subject. 
True,  it  is  painful  for  a  lady  to  have  it  said  she  loves 
when  she  does  not  think  of  it ;  yet,  as  no  true  gentleman 
will  be  thus  presumptuous  and  hasty  in  conclusions,  we  can 
very  well  dispense  with  the  sayings  of  fools  and  coxcombs, 
and  let  them  pass  for  what  they  are  worth. 

They  continued  on  their  trip,  —  a  most  delightful  one, 
—  the  reminiscences  of  which  lived  many  a  day  in  their 
memories ;  in  fact,  they  were  never  forgotten.  He,  in  pros- 
perity, and  partly  at  least  in  pleasure,  may  have  forgotten ; 
but  she,  by  the  scathing  hand  of  adversity,  never  forgot.  All 
the  past  is  riveted  on  her  memory  forever. 

They  stopped  at  several  towns  on  their  route  to  the  place 
of  destination :  pleasure  and  happiness  seemed  to  await  them 


AXD  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


23 


everywhere.    At  one  place,  tlie  town  of  M  ^  in  tlie 

county  of  J  ,  dwelt  a  relative  of  Evans's  —  one  wlio 

liad  bid  Evans  bring  his  newly-found  cousin  by,  so  that  his 
family  and  self  miglit  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  her. 

A  very  kind  family,  and  much  social  happiness  was 
mutually  enjoyed;  music  of  the  piano  was  in  requisition, 
of  which  Miss  Claiborne  was  passionately  fond.  Oh,  how 
exalting  to  her  were  its  charms !  It  reanimated  and  caused 
her  joyous  heart  to  bend  to  heaven  in  a  moment,  and  set 
all  her  frame  in  a  state  of  bliss,  felt  on  no  other  occasion, 
as  if  under  the  magic  sound  of  heaven-born  music. 

As  it  was  very  cold,  and  j\Iiss  Claiborne  had  suffered  from 
cold  feet  the  day  before,  next  morning  Evans  purchased  a 
comfortable  pair  of  warm  cloth  overshoes  for  her,  which 

]\Iiss  F  ,  the  kind  sister-in-law  of  Mr.  G  ,  came  in 

with,  and  said :  "  A  present  for  you,  Miss  Grace,"  and  be- 
gan putting  them  on  her  feet. 

Another  token  of  his  thoughtful  care  and  kind  attention, 
which  was  calculated  to  make  a  deep  impression  upon  Miss 
Claiborne's  sensitive  and  grateful  heart.  She  could  not 
help  loving  him,  and  seeing  in  him  all  the  noble  traits  of 
what  she  thought  a  ?na?i  ought  to  be ;  and  he  was  her  kins- 
man, too,  one  in  whose  veins  ran  the  same  warm  blood;  the 
tie  of  affectionate  consanguinity  was  theirs  —  the  connect- 
ing link,  and  she  neither  thought  nor  dreamed  of  any  higher 
relationship. 

"Jsoble  brother,"  said  she,  mentally;  "some  persons 
say  sensitive  and  affectionate  natures  make  too  much  of 
little  things.  Straws  show  which  way  the  wind  blows. 
And  if  we  are  not  grateful  for  small  things,  are  we  for  great 
ones  ?  Since  life  is  so  largely  made  up  of  mites,  that  man 
or  woman  is  more  uniformly  kind  who  shows  it  in  a  great 
many  little  matters  more  than  in  great  ones,  from  the  fact 
that  we  do  not  generally  have  it  in  our  power  to  extend  as 


24 


BEEAB  OF  HEAVEN", 


many  large  favors  as  small  ones  ;  nor  are  we  as  often  called 
upon  for  the  one  as  the  other." 

As  they  were  at  the  breakfast-table  next  morning,  Mr. 

G         remarked,  jocosely,  that  he  supposed  Evans  was 

just  taking  Miss  Claiborne  out  there  for  market. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  he,  "  that  he  thinks  he  will  get  the 
chance  of  eating  some  of  the  cake."  To  which  Evans  made 
no  reply,  but  looked  pitiful  and  downcast,  for  it  had  been 
only  about  three  short  months  since  his  first  love  —  the 
woman  of  his  first  choice — had  closed  her  eyes,  her  beauti- 
ful black  eyes,  on  him  and  her  two  infant  babes,  and  on 
all  things  beneath  the  sun,  in  death. 

The  next  setting  of  the  sun  brought  them  to  M  , 

another  small  town  in  which  lived  some  of  Miss  Claiborne's 
acquaintances,  and  another  teacher,  sister  of  the  one  left 
behind.  Here  they  were  kindly  and  merrily  entertained 
again.  Music  was  the  soul's  vivifier  again.  Miss  Clai- 
borne was  speaking  of  her  great  love  of  the  sacred  science. 
Evans,  having  Miss  Claiborne's  hand  in  his,  said  it  was 
suited  for  the  performance  of  the  celestial  art.  This  was 
touching  a  tender  chord  with  her,  for,  of  all  her  studies, 
music  had  been  the  most  desired  besides  astronomy,  in 
which  she  delighted,  and  of  which  she  had  had  the  oppor- 
tunity to  acquire  a  competent  knowledge ;  but  of  music 
she  had  not  been  so  highly  favored.    And  as  their  thoughts, 

as  he  remarked  immediately  after  they  left  S  ,  seemed 

to  run  in  the  same  channel,  of  course  it  was  pleasing  to 
her  to  hear  from  him  sentiments  expressed  so  much  in 
unison  with  her  own  hopes  and  aspirations. 

When  they  arrived  in  the  county  to  which  they  were 
bound,  as  they  were  crossing  a  creek  called  Line  Creek,  a 
dark  foreboding  of  evil  came  over  the  otherwise  happy 
spirits  of  Miss  Claiborne,  and  an  oppression  and  sense  of 
coming  unfortunate  future  events,  for  which  she  could  not 
then  account. 


A.ND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


25 


"  My  dear  cousin/'  said  slie  to  Evans, "  in  tliis  place,  wMIe 
crossing  this  little  water,  I  wish  to  exact  a  promise  of  you." 
"What  is  that?"  said  he. 

"  That  if  I  am  not  pleased  in  the  place  whither  you  are 
taking  me,  you  will  carry  me  back."  ("  Oh,  yes,  carry  me 
back,"  was  sung  in  those  days  as  a  popular  song.) 

"Well,"  said  he,  "Cousin  Grace,  I  hope  you  will  be 
pleased ;  you  must  not  anticipate  misfortune." 

They  stopped  for  the  last  time  before  reaching  Evans's 

father's  house,  at  one  of  his  sisters,  Mrs.  C  .    This  lady 

appeared  to  be  delighted  with  her  new  cousin,  and  was 
indeed  a  very  kind  lady. 

Evans  tarried  but  a  short  time  at  his  sister's  house,  and 
they  shortly  afterwards  arrived  at  the  residence  of  his 
father,  —  a  venerable  old  man,  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  very  pious,  but  strenuous  in  his  views,  for  he  be- 
lieved the  Baptist  Church  to  be  the  only  true  Church  on 
earth.  He  greeted  his  new  relation,  Miss  Claiborne,  with 
great  cordiality  and  hospitality,  and  was  fatherly,  kind,  and 
obliging  to  her. 

And  oh  how  her  young  heart  ran  out  with  gratitude 
to  this  good  man.  For  such  a  one  she  had  sighed  all  her 
days,  her  own  father  having  been,  from  her  earliest  recollec- 
tion, often  sunk  into  the  inebriate's  whirlpool.  This  had, 
like  the  blight  of  perdition,  cast  a  shade  of  sadness  over 
all  the  prospects  of  his  young  and  rising  fair  daughters, 
four  in  number,  together  with  their  amiable  mother ;  and 
on  none  of  their  tender  minds  had  it  had  so  sad  an  effect  as 
on  this  sensitive  young  girl.  "  Tell  me  I  hate,''  said  she. 
"  3Iy  very  soul  abhors  and  loathes  the  deep,  dark  beverage  of 
hell."  She  thought  it  a  great  hindrance  in  the  way  of 
their  otherwise  bright  prospects  for  happiness  in  mortal 
life.  And  she  thought  too  truly  in  this  case.  Oh,  ye 
daughters  of  the  sober,  what  think  ye  of  the  pall  of  mid- 
3 


26 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


night  blackness  to  cover  your  devoted,  defenceless  heads 
all  the  morning  and  bloom-time  of  your  youthful  days? 
And  if  it  be  so  dreadful,  so  horrible,  to  the  poor  daughter, 
the  drunkard's  child,  what  must  it  be  to  the  poor  wife  who 
could  never  expect  to  get  out  of  his  clutches  till  death 
should  release  her  ?  And  oh,  ye  wretched  fathers,  who  so 
far  forget  your  vows  at  the  altar  of  love,  and  fealty  to 
your  Maker,  to  "Provoke  not  your  children,"  how  will 
ye  answer  in  the  day  of  judgment  for  one  of  a  thousand 
of  the  sorrows  ye  have  brought  upon  your  helpless  offspring 
by  your  damning  drunkenness  ?  Ye  that  have  never  felt 
the  pangs  of  woe  accruing  to  the  poor,  sorrowful  child  of 
a  father  sunk  in  the  quagmire  of  dissipation,  and  who  is 
sometimes  cpiite  fortunate  if  he  or  she  escapes  without 
broken  bones,  excuse  the  warmth  of  these  lines.  The  heart 
knoweth  its  own  sorrows ;  and  if  there  is  an  object  to  be  pitied 
on  this  side  the  grave,  that  object  is  the  drunkard's  child. 

One  day,  shortly  after  their  arrival  at  Evans's  father's, 
Mr.  Napoleon  Smith  and  his  wife  came. 

Miss  Claiborne  had  never  seen  Mr.  Smith  but  once  before, 
when  he  had  called  there  on  his  way  home  from  town,  in 
company  with  others ;  and  little  did  she  think  he  had  any 
wish  to  see  her,  having  never  scarcely  heard  of  him,  only 
that  he  had  married  Evans's  sister,  and  was  son-in-law  to 
the  good  old  gentleman ;  for  Evans  did  not  call  at  his  house 
on  his  way  to  his  father's.  Perhaps  if  he  had,  this  sad 
story  might  never  have  had  truth  and  foundation  to  build 
upon,  if  she  had  seen  him  at  home  with  his  first  wife. 
Miss  Claiborne  did  not  know  that  this  visit  was  intended 
for  her  by  her  cousin,  Mr.  Napoleon  Smith,  otherwise  she 
would  not  have  left.  But  Evans  had  made  a  prior  engage- 
ment for  them  to  go  to  town  to  church,  and  dine  at  Dr. 

T  's ;  and  she,  being  ignorant  of  their  intended  visit  to 

lier,  set  off  with  him  to  fulfil  their  engagement  to  dinner. 


AND   HUSKS   OF  STVIKE. 


27 


It  was  now  Cliristm as-day,  she  having  been  at  Evans's 
father's  five  days,  While  on  their  way  to  the  village, 
Evans  said  to  ]Miss  Claiborne : 

"  Cousin  Grace,  tell  me  if  there  is  any  love  between  you 
and  that  young  man  ? !  meaning  one  left  behind  near 
S  .)    ^'  K  you  do  not  tell  me,  I  will  not  ask  you  again."' 

And,  strange  to  think,  she  would  not  tell  him  a 
word,  but  was  silent  during  the  time  they  were  going  to 
town.  He  never  could  divine  her  views,  except  that  she 
wished  to  be  let  alone  about  all  of  her  former  friends  and 
lovers,  of  whom  there  were  many,  and  toward  whom  she 
had  warm  and  grateful  feelings,  and  for  no  one  more  par- 
ticularly than  another  of  her  numerous  admirers.  And 
if  Evans  did  not  wish  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  fact  of 
her  former  attachment  for  himself,  he  might  have  wished 
to  know  for  the  sake  of  others ;  to  which,  of  course,  she 
would  feel  a  kind  of  resentment,  as  if  to  say,  let  them  find 
out  themselves,  or  let  me  alone.'  I  do  not  wish  to  be  ques- 
tioned on  the  subject ;  there  is  no  one  that  I  desire  whose 
face  I  have  yet  seem  And  he  was  her  noble  brother,  one 
of  whom  she  could  not  well  entertain  higher  views  and 
regards,  and,  as  a  confidential  brother,  perhaps  he  only 
wished  to  avail  himself  of  his  adopted  sister's  secrets. 

But  he '  failed  in  this,  however.  Perhaps,  if  she  had  let 
down  a  little  of  that  impregnable  taciturnity  that  was  her 
armor  of  defence,  and  accepted  the  gift  of  his  confidence, 
as  she  certainly  had  the  opportunity  to  do,  such  a  sad  tale 
as  the  following  might  never  have  been  written.  But,  alas! 
we  know  not  what  is  before  us,  nor  what  is  best  for  us  at  all 
times ;  and,  as  she  did  not  tell  him  all  in  after  days,  we 
think  the  sequel  will  prove  that  he  alone  was  to  blame. 

Yet  such  were  her  exalted  views  of  pure,  unsullied,  unin- 
terested, undying  friendship,  that  we  believe  she  would 
rather  have  sufiered  all  she  did  than  be  tinder  obligations 


28 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


to  one  even  very  dear  to  her,  if  that  friend  should  casually 
or  carelessly  ignore  or  neglect  her  friendship,  for,  then,  he 
or  she  forfeits  it ;  because,  to  her  mind,  there  is  always  a 
cause  for  all  effects ;  and  if  affected  without  a  cause,  his  or 
her  friendship  is  without  value. 

Here  are  some  nice  distinctions  with  regard  to  friendship. 
This  is,  to  our  heroine,  as  the  law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians, 
that  change  not.  But  how  few  do  we  find  who  view  friend- 
ship in  this  light ;  and  yet  it  is  the  only  true  one.  Oh,  the 
evanescent,  hollow-hearted  sound  called  friendship  !  It  is, 
indeed,  like  the  vapor  that  appears  for  a  while,  and  then  is 
gone  forever ;  it  is  like  the  candle-fly,  that  flutters  while  the 
blaze  lasts,  and  when  it  is  extinguished  it  is  gone  too. 

Time  rolled  on.  Evans's  mother  was  not  so  fond  of  Miss 
Claiborne  as  his  father  was.  She  spoke  of  girls  of  pretty 
property,  although  poor  herself  when  married  to  Evans's 
father.  We  heard  this  often  in  after  days.  In  this  case,  as 
in  others,  straws  show  which  way  the  wind  blows.  For, 
about  the  time  Miss  Claiborne  was  about  to  go  to  town  to 
take  charge  of  her  school,  Grace,  ever  observant,  and,  oh, 
too  lightning-like  quick  to  see,  hear,  and  feel,  took  notice 
that  she  did  not  join  as  heartily  as  the  old  gentleman  did 
in  the  invitation  to  visit  them  again,  but  said  only,  "I 
reckon  Grace  will  want  to  see  us  sometimes." 

This  one  thing  would  have  deterred  her  if  nothing  else,— 
if  her  cousin  Evans  had  made  love  to  her  a  hundred  times, 
her  proud  spirit,  which  thought  herself  as  good  as  any*  of 
Adam's  race,  would  never,  never  have  brooked  the  insults 
of  an  unfeeling  mother-in-law,  who  could  pass  all  merit 
and  accomplishments,  and  speak  of  girls  with  pretty  prop- 
erty in  her  hearing,  when  she  knew  that  pretty  property  was  a 
set  of  darkies  for  whom  they  never  worked  one  day  in  their 
lives ;  and  could  lightly  esteem  such  girls  as  Grace,  although 
well  educated  and  refined,  and  could  do  all  kinds  of  fine 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


29 


■  work  —  but  yet,  because  slie  did  not  have  tbe  darkies,  she 
too  evidently,  to  her  sensitive  mind,  shoved  that  she  for  one 
did  not  think  so  highly  of  her ;  nay,  would  rather  have  liked 
her  better,  if  she  had  been  as  ignorant  of  book-learning,  as 
they  call  it,  as  one  of  those  sables,  provided  she  had  owned 
some  half  dozen  of  them !  This  was,  then,  one  bitter  dreg  in 
many  a  noble  Southern  girl's  cup.    This  would  have  been 

■  quite  redemptive  enough  for  her ;  and  Grace  knew  it.  Oh, 
the  quickness  with  which  such  things  were  discerned  by  her ! 

So,  not  much  did  she  care  for  her  husband  and  son's 
•  cousin.    Evans  escorted  her  to  town,  and  manifested  his 
kind  and  brotherly  feelings  again.    He  admonished  her  by 
the  way,  and  said :  "  How  pleased  he  would  be  to  hear 
everybody  say  what  a  fine  young  lady  is  that  Miss  Claiborne." 

Grace  replied  that  that  had  been  so  often  the  case,  she 
did  not  anticipate  a  different  state  of  things ;  nor  would 
she,  we  suppose,  had  she  not  met  with  qjixj  and  the  jealous 
man. 

She  boarded  with  a  brother-in-law  and  sister  of  Evans's 
deceased  wife,  and  took  charge  of  her  school  with  the  rec- 
tor of  the  academy,  a  Presbyterian  minister  of  good  repute, 
of  sterling  virtues  and  qualities.  In  this  place  Miss  Clai- 
borne was  also  very  popular.  We  do  not  think  at  that 
time  a  dog  would  have  moved  his  tongue  against  her  good 
name  and  fair  fame. 

It  was  at  that  time  a  frontier  town,  and  as  young  ladies  of 
polished  manners  and  good  education  were  rare  in  that  sec- 
tion, girls  of  that  style  were  held  in  great  admiration  by  gen- 
tlemen of  the  better  class,  of  which  there  are  always  some  in 
a  new  country.  Consequently,  great  attention  was  paid  to  her 
and  a  few  others  of  similar  manners  and  refinement.  This 
also,  as  is  often  the  case,  excites  envy  among  those  of  a  difier- 
ent  style  —  those  girls  who  piqued  themselves  upon  the  pos- 
session of  a  few  sables  of  the  African  race,  bequeathed  to  them. 
3* 


30 


BKEAD  OP  HEAVEN, 


by  their  fathers,  for  whom  they  never  toiled,  nor  put  forth 
one  cent's  worth  of  energy,  either  intellectual  or  physical,  in. 
all  their  lives,— their  short  and  worse  than  useless  lives. 

Evans's  deceased  wife's  sister  was  a  woman  altogether 
devoid  of  everything  good  and  lovely  belonging  to  the 
feminine  character.  She  envied  Miss  Claiborne.  But  such 
a  thought  never  entered  the  pure  girl's  mind  at  that  time. 
She  had  said  to  her  cousin,  when  speaking  of  whom  she 
should  board  with,  "  It  is  a  matter  of  importance,  my 
cousin,  that  I  should  board  with  a  prudent  woman.'* 
And  if  he  thought  his  sister-in-law  one,  he  was  sadly  mis- 
taken ;  which  is  another  proof  how  egregiously  men  some- 
times err  in  their  estimate  of  women.  Undeserving  women 
are  sometimes  held  in  estimation  by  them,  while  others,  of 
a  nobler,  more  reserved  nature,  and  deep  sincerity,  are  over- 
looked by  them.  From  all  time,  the  woman  of  the  worst 
advice  seems  to  hold  more  sway  and  influence  over  men's 
minds  than  the  really  good  and  sincerely  pure.  This 
woman's  mouth  dropped  the  very  honey-comb  of  double- 
refined  deception.  She  saw  the  warm  friendship  existing 
between  Evans  and  his  cousin.  Miss  Claiborne.  Jealousy, 
deep  as  the  pit,  got  into  her  deceitful  heart,  and  she  de- 
termined to  break  it  off.  She  had  a  single  sister  then, 
whom  she  would  fain  have  married  to  Evans ;  and  naturally 
enough,  too,  for  by  that  means  she  would  have  secured  her 
deceased  sister's  two  little  children,  —  a  sweet  and  lovely 
little  girl  and  infant  boy.  Her  property  too,  —  for  it  was 
boasted  that  this  single  sister  had  fifteen  negroes, — was  a 
powerful  incentive  to  a  man  of  sense,  when  she  could  not 
write  her  own  name  handsomely. 

After  a  time,  Evans  was  not  so  frequent  in  his  visits  to 
his  cousin  as  formerly. 

The  veritable  landlady  undertook  to  explain.  She  said 
Evans  had  talked  to  her  about  it,  with  tears,  and  said  that 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


31 


lie  was  fond  of  his  cousin's  society,  but  the  report  had  gone 
out  in  town  that  Evans  and  ]\Iiss  Claiborne  were  going 
to  be  married.  A  slight  cause,  thought  Miss  Claiborne, 
for  making  his  visits  less  frequent.  True,  she  had  many 
suitors,  —  a  dozen  at  a  time  frequently  of  an  evening,- — all 
sitting,  as  one  said  afterward,  charmed  and  pleased.  Qne 
said  she  had  the  most  vivid  imagination  of  any  woman  he 
ever  knew;  another  said  he  had  heard  some  say  they 
would  enjoy  her  society  more  if  she  did  not  speak  so  much 
of  religion.  Well,  it  is  not  wise  to  thrust  our  religion  at 
every  one,  nor  cast  our  pearls  before  s^vine ;  but  what  an 
objection  !  Some  of  those  very  admirers  are  in  eternity  now. 
"Wonder  if  they  think  she  spoke  of  our  holy  religion  too 
much  now !  Out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth 
speaketh.  Miss  Claiborne  thought  much  on  divine  subjects, 
therefore,  if  she  talked  at  all,  she  must  needs  speak  of  what 
she  thought  most.  Although  thus  surrounded  by  those 
who  professed  to  be  her  great  admirers,  yet  it  was  with  her 
as  with  all  true,  loving,  affectionate  dispositions ;  her  cousin 
having  been  to  her  as  a  brother,  she  could  not  so  well 
and  lightly  dispense  with  his  loved  society,  though  she  had 
one  hundred  others,  v»-ithout  a  good  reason  for  so  doing. 
And  was  this  a  good  reason  ?  IS^ow  to  be  deprived  of  his 
company,  for  the  pitiful  excuse  of  the  idle  and  gossiping 
people  of  that  place,  seemed  passing  strange  to  her.  Not- 
withstanding, she  felt  lonely  at  times  when  she  thought  of 
her  kindred,  her  mother  and  sisters ;  she  felt  the  heart  of  a 
stranger,  and  almost  of  a  lonely  orphan.  For  was  she  not 
trying  to  battle  with  the  world  for  a  living?  She  was 
offended.  He  came ;  she  started  to  leave  the  room  ;  he 
called  her,  and  said : 

"  Cousin  Grace,  there  is  a  letter  in  my  hat  for  you  that 
I  brought  from  the  post-office." 

Another  stab  to  her  affectionate  heart  —  kindness  and 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


unkindness  blended.  Would  that  it  were  all  one  way,  then 
would  she  know  how  to  take  it.  She  showed  her  displeasure 
more  than  was  usual  with  her  — took  the  letter  from 
his  hat,  and  ran  up  to  her  room,  and  there  read  her  letter, 
and  remained  till  summoned  to  dinner,  and  so  soon  as  it 
was  dispatched  hastily  retired  to  her  room  again. .  He  called 
for  her;  he  and  the  veritable  sister-in-law  sitting  tete-a-tete. 

"  Cousin  Grace,"  said  he,  "  let  not  what  the  fools  of  this 
place  say  affect  your  mind." 

She  replied ;  "  I  had  no  such  thought,"  and  then  said 
no  more,  her  impregnable  taciturnity  coming  to  her  relief. 


CHAPTER  II. 

AN  ENEMY. 

IT  was  unpleasant,  the  whole  affair.  Grace  could  not  ex- 
actly define  her  feelings ;  but  we  think  they  were  some- 
thing like  the  following,  if  spoken  out:  "Then  why  do 
you  regard  them?  you  are  a  man,  and  afraid  of  no  one. 
I  am  a  lone  girl,  in  a  strange  place,  and  must  I  be  deprived 
of  your  society  and  you  of  mine,  of  which  you  say  you  are 
fond,  for  the  sake  of  those  very  fools  whom  you  tell  me  to 
disregard  ?  " 

Oh,  strange  inconsistency,  and  not  at  all  in  accordance 
with  his  kind  attentions,  in  the  beginning  foreshadowed  and 
held  forth.  And  oh,  how  glad  she  was  that  she  had  ever 
acted  on  the  reserve  to  this  new  relation.  He  need  take  no 
fright,  thought  she.  And  yet  it  was  ever  with  her  so ;  if 
she  once  liked  a  person,  and  he  or  she  had  laid  her  very 


HUSKS  OF 


SWIXE. 


33 


tender,  grateful  heart  under  tribute  to  that  person  or  per- 
sons, her  gratitude  and  love  were  such  that  it  would  take  a 
perfect  storm  to  tear  these  tendrils  of  affection  asunder. 
It  would  be  a  very  terrible  affair  that  would  cancel  in  her 
mind  former  favors.  Hence,  the  hardness  of  a  world  like 
this,  where  thoughtless  persons  so  often  let  fall  the  un- 
guarded word — sometimes,  too,  cruel  words,  —  like  worm- 
wood on  a  sensitive  heart.  And  all  this  for  no  fault  of  her 
own,  for  people  will  talk,  if  they  never  pray.  Idle  talk  is 
more  congenial  to  most  of  mankind  than  praying;  but,  in  this 
case,  where  was  the  harm  ?  What  hurt  did  it  to  any  to 
speak  of  the  probability  of  two  persons  being  married? 
Did  it  so  grate  on  his  ear  that  he  could  not  bear  to  hear 
it,  and  then  tell  her  not  to  regard  it  ?  She  had  never  heard 
it ;  but  if  she  had,  it  would  not  have  made  her  shy  of  his 
company,  for  she  knew  there  was  no  truth  in  it  —  so  far  as 
she  was  concerned  —  and  by  this  version  from  the  sister- 
in-law,  it  was  no  thgught  of  his.  And  we  think  there  is  not 
a  woman  in  the  world  who  would  have  felt  pleasant  under 
such  delectable  circumstances.  She  was  in  bad  hands  as 
regards  her  landlady,  but  she  knew  it  not  then. 

A  bitter  feeling,  as  of  a  lonely  orphan,  came  over  her, 
and  she  thought  of  the  sad  foreboding  that  cast  a  shadow 
over  her  mind  as  soon  as  she  entered  the  county,  and  it 
ought  to  be  known  to  him  that  much  of  the  sorrow  of  her 
after  life  lay  at  his  door.  Xot  that  she  wished  him  to  ad- 
dress her,  or  marry  her —  nothing  of  the  kind.  Before  high 
heaven,  this  was  not  the  case.  Marriage  was  the  least  of 
all  her  thoughts.  She  had  had  ample  opportunities  to  get 
married,  and  was  not  at  all  concerned  on  that  subject, 
especially  to  this  beloved  cousin,  whom  she  considered 
already  near  enough  kin  to  her  —  not  a  cousin  only,  but  as 
a  dear  brother.    And  is  there  any  purer  and  more  unselfish 

C 


34  BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 

love  on  this  eartli  than  a  gentle,  kind,  devoted  sister's 
love? 

Time  rolled  on.  He  came  frequently,  but  not  so  often  as 
before.  That  indefinable  feeling  never  got  off  her  spirits ; 
and  she  blamed  him  in  her  inmost  heart,  for  if  it  had  not 
been  for  him,  she  would  have  left  that  town  soon  after  her 
arrival  there,  the  prospects  of  her  school  not  being  so 
auspicious  as  she  had  been  induced  to  believe  and  expect, 
for  he  had  written  to  her  that,  judging  from  the  past,  it 
would  be  worth  at  least  five  or  six  hundred  dollars ;  and 
now,  because  some  were  prejudiced  against  the  poor  old 
academy,  because  of  the  former  incumbent,  and  vowed  they 
never  would  send  to  school  in  that  house  again,  her  school 
was  small.   The  old  house!  a  potent  reason  for  not  sending. 

Such  are  some  of  the  caprices  of  the  public.  An  unac- 
countable set  to  deal  with,  and  those  who  have  least  to  do 
with  them  are  perhaps  happiest. 

She  spoke  of  leaving,  and  going  to  a  place  to  which  she 

had  been  solicited  to  go  by  a  Mr.  P  ,  before  coming  to 

this  place.    Her  cousin  A  ,  too,  of  S  ,  had  preferred 

her  going  to  M  ,  because  it  was  nearer,  so  that  he  could 

attend  to  her,  if  she  did  not  succeed  according  to  her  ex- 
pectations.   In  the  very  place  she  left,  in  C  county, 

one  day  coming  from  church,  the  pastor  was  in  close  con- 
versation with  her  cousin  N  ,  wife  of  Mr.  A  ,  and 

told  her  he  could  get  a  school  worth  five  hundred  dollars 
right  there,  without  the  trouble  of  going  to  this  frontier 
town.  But  her  foolish  idea  of  being  among  her  relatives, 
whom  she  had  never  seen,  the  spirit  of  adventure,  and  the 
enchantment  that  seemed  to  allure  her  thither,  balanced  the 
scale,  and  caused  it  to  preponderate  in  favor  of  the  new 
place.  And  when  she  came,  and  was  sadly  disappointed  in 
many  respects,  she  said,  "  I  will  leave  this  place." 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE.  35 

"  Oil,"  said  Evans,  "  you  will  ruin  our  town  to  leave  us 
now." 

"  Now,"  thought  she,  sadly,  "  what  must  I  remain  for  ? 
My  business  is  not  good,  as  I  v,^as  made  to  believe,  and  why 
stay  under  an  engagement  to  a  parcel  of  trustees  who  have 
not  been  overwise  themselves?"  They  had,  through  their 
correspondent,  held  out  prospects  that  had  not  been  real- 
ized, nor  did  she  think  ever  would  be,  at  least  in  time  to 
relieve  her  anxieties.  Although  all  pretended  to  be  her 
friends,  this  did  not  feed  and  clothe  her.  The  trustees 
could  no  more  control  the  prejudices  of  the  populace  than 
she  could,  and  she  scorned  the  idea  of  being  dependent  on 
friends  and  relations,  but  hoped  and  expected  her  own 
energies  to  work  out  for  her  her  salvation  in  every  want 
and  desire  of  her  heart.  Therefore,  she  could  but  ask  the 
question,  "  Why  wish  me  to  remain,  when,  perhaps,  I  can 
do  much  better  elsewhere  ?  Had  not  I  as  well,  or  better, 
ruin  the  town,  than  for  it  to  ruin  me  ?  They  will  be  better 
able  to  bear  it,  for  if  I  stay  even  one  term  out,  and  the 
school  is  not  flourishing,  it  will  be  said  it  went  down  in  my 
keeping  because  I  am  young.  So  my  mind  is  to  take  my 
humble  self  from  hence."  Friends  and  relations  will  flock 
around  in  a  day  of  prosperity,  but  when  the  winds  of  ad- 
versity blow,  they  are  too  often  blown  away  by  them.  God 
help  this  fickle  world !  Who  ever  depended  upon  it,  and 
did  not  get  his  hand,  and  his  heart,  too,  pierced  ? 

These  reasonings  proved  to  be  all  too  true  ;  and  whether 
Evans  had  a  design  in  wishing  her  to  remain,  is  known 
only  to  high  heaven. 

Here  we  record  this  as  one  of  the  great  mistakes  of  her 
life,  and  for  which  she  paid  the  most  costly  penalty,  —  that 
of  tribulation,  sorrow,  and  misrepresentation  nearly  all  her 
after  life ;  for,  although  very  amiable  in  her  disposition, 
easy  to  yield,  yet  she  had  decision  of  character  enough 


36 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


in  the  elementary  parts  of  her  mind  to  act  and  do  well 
for  herself,  if  she  had  commanded  it,  on  this  occasion. 
There  came  times  over  her,  in  after  days,  when,  if  any  man 
or  set  of  men  would  have  undertaken  to  hold  her  under 
Buch  abominable  and  offensive  obligations,  —  and  she  en- 
tangled with  them  by  no  stronger  chains  than  these, — • 
every  sentiment  of  a  highly-incensed,  wronged  spirit  would 
have  arisen  in  opposition  to  their  cowardly  doings,  and  she 
would  have  left  that  town,  ruin  or  no  ruin,  if  she  had,  in 
her  efforts  to  get  away,  broken  every  trace  and  harness 
that  they  seemed  so  ignobly  to  have  considered  binding  on 
her.  If  friends  and  relations  advise  well  for  us,  well ;  if 
not,  we  should  advise  well  for  ourselves ;  because,  if  misfor- 
tune comes  to  us,  we  will  almost  invariably  be  blamed. 
"  Men  will  praise  thee  when  thou  doest  well  to  thyself," 
said  an  inspired  penman ;  and  the  saying  is  no  less  true 
in  our  day  than  then.  She  remained  against  her  own 
judgment,  and  hence  follows  all  the  horrors  that  are  de- 
tailed in  the  following  pages. 

And  we  here  remark,  that  we  have  never  known  it  to  be 
otherwise,  during  the  course  of  a  long  life  of  close  observa- 
tion, that  when  an  individual,  male  or  female,  follows  the 
advice  of  others,  —  let  him  be  Gabriel  or  other  angel,  if  he 
were  on  earth,  —  against  the  workings  and  judgment  of  his 
own  mind,  "  the  still  voice,"  which  says  "  this  is  the  way, 
walk  ye  in  it !  "  he  or  she  is  sure  to  suffer  for  it.    The  great 

Dr.  L  P  ,  more  than  forty  years  ago,  sounded  out 

from  the  pulpit,  in  the  State  of  G  and  town  of  G  , 

(in  which,  at  that  time,  dwelt  the  best  people  it  has  ever 
been  our  lot  to  see  and  to  know,)  when  we  did  this  thing  or 
that,  "  Did  not  something  tell  you  it  was  wrong  ?  " 

Evans  had  evidently  been  very  fond  of  his  cousin.  Some- 
times, when  coming  to  the  house,  and  getting  sight  of  her 
through  the  window,  he  would  kiss  his  hand  to  her,  walk 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


37 


with  her  to  the  Academy,  and  try  to  comfort  her,  for  he 
saw  very  plainly  that  she  was  desponding,  her  heart  heavy 
and  drooping ;  and  he  would  say,  "  Good-bye,  my  sweet 
sister,"  and  she  would  reply,  "  Good-bye,  my  dear  brother." 
*  All  this,  however,  happened  before  his  conference  with 
the  sister-in-law.  No  wonder  she  should  think  his  conduct 
mysterious  in  after  days. 

Oh,  why  did  not  her  unsuspecting  heart  see  where  her 
enemy  was,  and  flee  from  her  as  from  a  deadly  serpent  ? 
Miss  Claiborne,  as  before  said,  had  many  admirers,  among 
whom  was  one,  a  particular  friend  of  Evans,  who  also 
seemed  to  be  a  Vv'arm  admirer  of  his  fair  cousin  —  whether 
to  endeavor  to  make  a  conquest,  and  to  see  how  far  he 
could  play  on  the  affections  of  another,  we  never  knew. 
Of  one  thing  we  are  sure :  he  was  very  obsequious  in  his 
attentions  to  this  young  lady;  and  she,  because  she  was  * 
from  first  sight  struck  with  his  personal  appearance,  was 
guarded  towards  him  in  the  beginning  of  their  acquaint- 
ance.   But  it  would  have  been  as  impossible  for  her,  with 
her  innocent,  guileless,  unsuspecting,  and  candid  nature, 
no  more  versed  in  the  ways  of  the  world  than  she  was  then, 
to  have  thought  that  one  so  tall,  erect,  and  with  such  hand- 
some features,  and  so  manly  in  his  bearing,  could  have  been 
guilty  of  deception.    Nay,  if  she  had  been  an  angel  from 
heaven,  she  might  have  been  more  suspecting,  for  they  (the 
angels)  perhaps  know  more  of  the  ways  and  hearts  of  men 
than  innocent  and  confiding  human  nature ;  and,  oh,  how 
often  have  we  grieved  that  a  pure  spirit,  sent  from  the 
upper  world,  should  ever  know  the  deception  that  generally 
lurks  through  all  Adam's  race.    It  is  like  the  first  serpent 
that  made  its  unholy  descent  into  Eden's  bowers.    It  winds 
and  entwines  its  unseemly  self  about  everything  near,  and 
enters  every  hole  and  corner  of  man's  heart ;  enters  into 
every  crevice  and  works  its  way  through  all  the  fibres, 
4 


38 


BREAD  OP  HEAVEN, 


thoughts,  and  devices  of  its  too  many  willing  subjects. 
He  would  often  repeat  verses  of  poetry  in  her  hearing: 
"  Had  I  the  world,  I'd  give  it  all  to  be  with  thee."  Then 
he  would  take  her  pocket-Bible,  which  she  generally  had 
about  her,  and  point  to  that  place :  "  And  now  I  beseech 
thee,  lady,  that  we  love  one  another;  "  and  again  :  "Throw 
back  those  golden  tresses ; "  "I  would  thou  wert  mine,  I 
would  keep  thee  ever  as  now." 

These  are  small  items,  some  may  think  ;  but  large  moun- 
tains are  composed  of  small  grains,  and,  in  our  estimate  of 
things,  causes  and  effects  must  be  held  forth.  Was  it  not 
at  least  flirtation  ?  In  our  opinion,  no  one  should  endeavor 
to  make  an  impression  on  another  that  is  not  true ;  for  if  it 
be  not  true,  it  must  be  false.  Perhaps  a  love  of  the  world 
was  a  desideratum  with  him. 

Miss  Claiborne  never  intended  to  love  him,  although  well 
pleased  with  his  apparent  good  and  kind  manners ;  for  she 
had  heard  that  he  had  loved  another  before  she  ever  saw 
him.  But  by  this  time  Grace  had  gone  to  board  with  another 
lady,  and  left  the  deceitful  sister-in-law  of  Evans.  She  now 

abode  with  Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S  ,  a  lady  with  whom  she  was 

much  pleased,  but  whose  policy  was  rather  more  worldly 
than  was  Miss  Claiborne's.  "  Oh,"  said  she  once,  speaking 
of  this  gentleman,  "  how  could  he  love  you  whom  he  had 

never  seen  ?    For  if  he  did  love  Miss  W  ,  it  was  long 

before  you  came." 

This  argument  had  some  force  with  Miss  Claiborne ;  and 
when,  on  one  occasion,  he  was  in  trouble,  or  pretended  to 
be,  Grace  pitied  him,  and  sympathized  with  him.  Pity, 
we  have  heard,  is  nearly  allied  to  love.  We  never  loved  any 
one  whom  we  did  not  first  pity  for  some  real  or  imaginary 
sorrow  mixed  with  what  we  thought  his  noble  qualities. 
To  say  he  was  unkind  to  Grace  would  not  perhaps  express 
the  matter  rightly,  unless  in  endeavoring  to  make  impres- 


AND   HUSKS  OF 


SWINE. 


39 


sions  wHcli  were  not  real.  That  indeed  would  be  unkind- 
ness  of  the  sharpest  kind. 

With  his  low,  soft  tones,  to  make  an  innocent,  confiding 
girl  believe  that  he  loved  her  when  he  did  not,  is  certainly 
the  greatest  folly  and  madness.  It  is  said  of  our  blessed 
Saviour,  "  neither  was  deceit  in  his  mouth."  If  Grace  had 
been  versed  in  a  knowledge  of  the  world,  and  had  not  already 
been  on  her  guard,  his  sin  had  not  been  so  great.  But  he 
had  no  cloak  or  covering  for  his  double-dealing ;  and  we 
suppose  he  has  expiated  long  since  for  all  these  wrong- 
doings. One  redemption  was  in  the  matter.  When  Grace 
did  discover  that  he  had  made  the  attempt  to  trifle  with  the 
most  holy  affections  of  the  human  heart,  —  although  for  many 
long  years  she  did  not  hate  him,  as  he  was  ever  kind  and  at- 
tentive to  her  whenever  he  met  with  her,  while  she  remained 
in  that  country,  —  yet,  when  she  did  behold  him  in  the  last 
times,  she  said,  mentally,  If  thou  be  he,  oh  how  fallen,  or 
changed ! "  And  she  did  inwardly  thank  God  that  he  had 
Tiever  been  her  husband,  if,  in  being  such,  he  would  have 
appeared  the  filthy,  sordid  being  he  did,  when  he  used  to  be 
as  neat  as  a  new  pin  —  stately  and  manly. 

Could  it  be  possible  that  in  delving  after  the  muck  straw 
of  this  world,  to  be  spent  in  a  blast  by  some  profligate  heir, 
the  human  form  divine  could  be  so  debased  ? 

"  Like  Mammon,  the  least  erected  spirit  that  fell 

From  heaven ;  for  e'en  in  heaven  his  looks  and  thoughts 

Were  always  downward  bent,  admiring  more 

The  riches  of  heaven's  pavement,  trodden  gold, 

Than  aught  divine  or  holy  else  enjoyed 

In  vision  beatific ;  by  him  first 

Men  also,  and  by  his  suggestion  taught, 

Ransacked  the  centre,  and  with  impious  hands 

Rifled  the  bowels  of  their  mother  Earth 

For  treasures  better  hid.    Soon  had  his  crew 

Opened  into  the  hill  a  spacious  wound,  . 


40 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


And  digged  out  ribs  of  gold.    Let  none  admire 

That  riches  grow  in  hell ;  that  soil  may  best 

Deserve  the  precious  bane.    And  here  let  those 

Who  boast  in  mortal  things,  and,  wondering,  tell 

Of  Babel,  and  the  works  of  Memphian  kings, 

Learn  how  their  greatest  monuments  of  fame, 

And  strength,  and  art,  are  easily  outdone 

By  spirits  reprobate,  and  in  an  hour 

"What  in  an  age  they,  with  incessant  toil 

And  hands  innumerable,  scarce  perform. 

Nigh  on  the  plain,  in  many  cells  prepar'd, 

That  underneath  had  veins  of  liquid  fire 

Sluiced  from  the  lake,  a  second  multitude 

With  wondrous  art  founded  the  massy  ore. 

Severing  each  kind,  and  scumm'd  the  bullion  dross : 

A  third  as  soon  had  form'd  within  the  ground 

A  various  mould,  and  from  the  boiling  cells 

By  strange  conveyance  fill'd  each  hollow  nook: 

As  in  an  organ,  from  one  blast  of  wind. 

To  many  a  row  of  pipes  the  soundboard  breathes. 

Anon  out  of  the  earth  a  fabric  huge 

Kose  like  an  exhalation,  with  the  sound 

Of  dulcet  symphonies  and  voices  sweet. 

Built  like  a  temple,  where  pilasters  round 

Were  set,  and  Doric  pillars  overlaid 

With  golden  architrave ;  nor  did  they  want 

Cornice  or  frieze,  with  bossy  sculptures  graven ; 

The  roof  was  fretted  gold." 

It  was  thus  it  seemed  his  life  had  been  spent,  with  head 
bent  down,  intent  on  the  accumulation  of  gold ;  in  charac- 
ter with  heathen  industry,  and  assiduity  in  its  acquisition. 
But  we  know  his  love  to  his  fellows,  farther  than  self- 
interest, 

"Was  all  false  and  hollow:  though  his  tongue 
Dropped  manna." 

And  how  he  stood  with  his  Maker,  it  is  not  for  us  to  say. 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


41 


To  his  own  Master  he  stands  or  falls.  It  was  said  he  was 
honest,  and  exacting  to  the  last  cent,  which  is  more  than  can 
be  said  of  many  others  of  his  profession.  It  was  also  said 
that  he  had  no  tenderness  of  heart  towards  the  poor.  We 
heard  of  a  dear  lady  who  had  been  reduced  to  limited  cir- 
cumstances from  the  most  refined  and  polished  circles  of 
life.  He,  without  previous  introduction,  without  being  an- 
nounced, and  without  any  of  that  kind,  soft  manner  so 
grateful  to  the  oppressed  with  poverty  and  depressed  spirits, 
—  which  none  knew  better  how  to  use  in  former  days  when 
it  suited  his  purposes,  now  all  laid  aside  among  these  poor 
refined  ladies,  —  burst  their  door  unceremoniously  open, 
and  accosted  them  rudely  on  the  subject  of  his  business  with 
them,  as  if,  with  their  altered  circumstances,  they  had  lost 
all  their  refinement  and  knowledge  of  courtesy.  Where 
were  those  low,  soft,  mellow  tones  new  ?  The  poor,  we  fear, 
will  not  rise  up  and  call  him  blessed.  He  has  not  made  to 
himself  friends  of  the  Mammon  of  unrighteousness. 

Once,  when  Grace  was  speaking  of  the  j^oor  prospects  of 
her  school,  he  advised  her  to  quit  teaching,  and  get  married. 
He  would  walk  with  her  to  Sabbath-school  and  church  — 
a  Sabbath-school  gotten  up  by  her  exertions  in  that  place. 
He  would  say  to  her,  in  his  peculiar  style,  again,  "  There 
was  but  one  righteous  Lot  in  the  place ;  "  which  appellation 
he  applied  to  her,  and  would  speak  of  her  intelligent  coun- 
tenance and  intellectual  brow  to  others.  All  of  which 
afiected  Miss  Claiborne  not  at  all ;  for  she  knew  herself  that 
she  was  a  poor  sinner,  saved  by  grace  and  faith  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  Vanity  was 
not  one  of  her  besetments.  If  it  had  been,  there  might  have 
been  danger,  for  she  had  been  praised  all  her  life.  What 
is  the  praise  of  men  ?  It  goes  with  the  breeze ;  for  the  same 
breath  that  will  praise  you  loudest,  is  often  the  first  to  cen- 
sure, and  for  no  fault  of  our  own  either,  perhaps,  but  merely 


42 


BEEAD  OP  HEAVEN, 


because  we  may  be  fortunate  or  unfortunate,  or,  mayhap, 
because  we  may  be  in  the  way  of  some  envious  one  who 
thinks  we  stand  in  the  way  of  his  or  her  exaltation.  This 
young  disciple  preferred  the  honor  that  comes  from  God. 

Miss  Claiborne  had  met  Mr.  N.  Smith  once  on  the  streets, 
on  her  way  to  school.  He  was  in  town  during  the  court 
week  there.  He  very  cordially  invited  her  to  come  out  to 
visit  them  in  the  country,  saying  he  would  send  for  her  any 
time  she  would  say  she  would  come.  And  why  did  she  not 
go  ?  Alas !  if  she  had,  a  whole  lifetime  of  sorrow  might 
have  been  prevented.  And  although  there  was  much  atten- 
tion paid  her  from  the  gentlemen,  yet  she  never  was  content 
to  remain  after  the  late  conduct  of  Evans ;  the  chief  ground 
of  dissatisfaction  being  the  insufficiency  of  her  school. 

She  had  another  special  admirer,  one  of  whom  Evans  did 
not  think  so  well ;  but  one  who  was,  from  all  that  could  be 
gathered  about  him,  sincerer  in  his  professions  than  the 
friend  of  Evans. 

Time  waned.  The  first  term  of  the  scholastic  year  was 
drawing  to  a  close.  She  had  now,  she  thought,  fully  re- 
solved to  leave  for  the  place  spoken  of  before,  and  leave  all 
fair  friends  in  word  behind. 

The  gentleman  admirer  —  more  sincere  than  the  friend 
of  Cvans — wrote  something  in  the  way  of  a  farewell  address. 

"  Farewell,"  said  he,  "  and  though  we  meet  no  more, 

Think  not  that  I  '11  forget ; 
For  memory  shall  often  travel  o'er 

Time  passed  since  first  we  met. 

"  Your  charms  may  not  cheer 

Another  hour  for  me, 
But  may  they  gain  for  you  some  dear, 

Some  mutual  destiny. 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


43 


"  You  may  be  happy,  even  great, 

Though  sometimes  now  in  gloom; 
But  sadness  is  decreed  by  fate 

To  be  my  endless  doom." 

"Wonder  if  this  were  not  his  fate  sure  enough,  as  he  chose 
this  world  for  his  portion. 

"  Strive  on,  with  philanthropic  zeal 

The  youthful  mind  to  lead  ; 
And  time  will  soon  reveal 

That  worth  shall  gain  its  meed. 

"  Success  be  yours,  whether  you  roam^ 
Or  from  the  world  retire  —  " 

The  two  remaining  lines  and  another  verse  not  being  at 
hand,  we  cannot  insert  them.  This,  we  think,  was  pretty 
near  the  finale  of  this  poor  fellow  with  Grace,  as  she  was 
married  shortly  after,  and  never  saw  him  but  once  more 
during  life ;  though  she  both  heard  and  read  some  of  his 
poetical  effusions  several  times  during  his  life.  He  signed 
himself  the  "  Bard "  of  the  locality  where  he  dwelt,  and 
was,  we  believe,  a  popular  man  as  long  as  he  lived. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Smith  and  -another  one  of  the  trus- 
tees called  on  Grace  in  town,  to  endeavor  to  induce  her  to 
take  a  school  in  their  neighborhood  in  the  country,  saying 
she  could  make  at  least  three  hundred  dollars  by  Christmas. 
Now  this  she  looked  upon  as  insult  added  to  injury.  She 
declined  accepting  the  offer,  because  of  the  utter  failure  of 
all  her  expectations  in  the  school  in  town. 

In  a  short  time  Evans  came  and  dissuaded  her  from 
leaving,  and  held  out  further  inducements  in  reference  to 
the  school.  She  then  consented  to  go.  Evans's  friend 
accompanied  her  out  there.  She  attended  the  school  the 
first  day ;  but,  behold,  the  prospects  were  equally  gloomy 
with  those  in  town.  She  came  back  to  Smith's  house  utterly 


44 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


discouraged  and  disgusted.  Determined  in  her  own  mind 
to  be  no  longer  baffled  by  these  people,  she  tarried  one 
night  under  Smith's  roof,  and  next  day  returned  to  the 
town ;  on  the  following  day  she  sent  for  Evans,  and  told  him 
she  now  held  him  good  to  his  promise  to  carry  her  back. 
He  tried  again  to  dissuade  her  from  her  purpose  of  leaving 
forever,  as  she  thought,  a  place  in  which  she  had  done  so 
little  for  herself  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view. 

He  said,  "  I  thought  you  were  to  make  your  fortune  in 
this  county." 

She  replied,  "  I  do  not  think  there  is  anything  here  for 
me." 

"  So  carry  me  back." 

True  instinct  again,  and  "that  light  that  lighteth  every 
man  that  cometh  into  the  world."  And  why  should  one 
mortal  ever  persuade  another  from  following  it,  when  the 
decisions  sometimes  made  are  fraught  with  eternal  interests 
to  the  parties  ?  And  thus  Evans,  under  promise  of  coming 
back  in  a  day  or  two  to  take  her  to  the  desired  place,  left. 
Meantime,  he  had  gone  to  Smith,  his  brother-in-law,  to  get 
his  carriage  to  take  heft,  and  said  to  Smith  he  would  be 
right  glad  if  he  would  not  let  him  have  it,  "  for  I  do  not 
wish  her  to  go." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  Smith  to  Evans ;  "  you  can  have  it."  For 
his  wife  was  now  dead,  and  he  had  serious  thoughts  of  ad- 
dressing Miss  Claiborne  himself,  and  intended,  if  she  left, 
to  follow  her. 

During  this  time  the  young  unmarried  sister-in-law  of 
Evans,  with  the  fifteen  negroes,  called  one  day  at  Mrs.  M. 
A.  B.  S.'s,  and  said  to  Miss  Claiborne ; 

"  Who  is  going  to  take  you  to  M  ,  Miss  Grace  ?  " 

"  Why,  my  cousin,  of  course,"  she  replied  ;  "  as  he  prom- 
ised  to  do  when  I  first  came,  if  I  should  not  like  to  stay." 


AND   HUSKS  OP  SWINE. 


45 


Since  those  days  of  trial,  —  so  horrible  in  retrospect  to  a 
young  sensitive  mind  like  Miss  Claiborne's,  —  we  have  seen 
very  clearly  that  this  young  girl  and  her  sister  had  their 
eyes  on  Evans's  movements ;  for  they  had,  in  part,  broken 
up  the  social  happiness  between  him  and  his  cousin,  and 
did  not  half  like  this  anticipated  trip  in  her  company  again. 

In  after  days  it  was  discovered  that  they  had  stood  be- 
tween the  cousins.  But  of  that  she  did  not  dream  at  the 
time.  She  only  thought  some  things  were  strange,  passing 
strange  and  mysterious ;  but  as  she  loved  no  one  particu- 
larly, she  puzzled  her  brain  about  it  no  more. 

If  there  was  anything  this  side  of  heaven  Grace  prized 
above  all  earthly  possessions,  it  was  her  pure,  unsullied 
reputation,  which  had  ever  been  as  clear  as  the  sun.  Grace 
heard,  not  a-  great  while  after  all  these  amiable  develop- 
ments, that  this  veritable  married  sister-in-law  of  Evans 
had,  for  no  fault  on  her  part,  told  a  most  slanderous  false- 
hood on  her.  This  she  heard^rom  several  respectable  au- 
thorities, —  one,  the  Presbyterian  minister  with  whom  she 

was  associated  in  her  school,  and  one  other,  Miss  A  

W  ,  who  said  she  had  heard  the  audacious  slanderer 

affirm  it  for  the  truth. 

Grace  never  spoke  to  the  yellow  slanderer  again  for  many 
long  years.  And  was  she  not  right  in  feeling  at  first,  in- 
stinctively, that  she  ought  not  to  board  with  her,  when  she 
said  to  Grace,  "  You  is  going  to  board  with  me,  is  you  ?  " 
And  this  slanderous  tale,  put  into  Evans's  ears,  was  the 
cause,  doubtless,  of  his  saying  to  Smith,  when  he  went  to 
ask  for  the  carriage,  "  Grace,  he  reckoned,  had  done  wrong.'' 
O  heavens !  that  Grace  had  heard  it  in  time  that  he  said  so  ! 
She  never  would  have  let  him  interfere  with  any  in- 
terests of  hers  again,  school  or  no  school ;  nor  taken  her 
away  from  that  place,  either ;  for  she  would  have  taken  the 
stage,  and  gone  to  M  ,  and  never  would  have  seen  his 


46 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


face  again,  for  believing  that  slanderous  lie  of  his  slatternly 
sister-in-law,  with  her  filthy  little  urchins  around  her,  in- 
stead of  believing  her  too  pure  to  do  anything  amiss  on 
this  earth,  if  she  knew  it.  If  this  was  his  model  of  a  pru- 
dent woman,  God  help  him  for  a  weak  judgment  in  such 
matters. 

"  Done  wrong  I "  Yes,  she  did,  my  noble  sir,  in  one  thing 
—  that  she  fled  not  from  you  and  all  her  very  kind  friends 

there,  and  went  among  people  like  she  left  in  S  ,  where 

you  first  saw  her,  and  where  a  whole  village  of  people  were 
her  friends  indeed,  without  a  dissenting  voice. 

O  heavens !  how  we  do  hate  coarse  people,  for  they  are 
nearly  always  sure  to  envy  and  slander  those  superior  to 
them. 

Grace  never  could  think  of  this  abominable  woman  again 
without  the  utmost  contempt.  What  could  have  induced 
her  thus  to  belie  an  innocent,  unsuspecting,  confiding  girl,  she 
never  could  divine.  She  regarded  her  as  a  murderess.  For 
had  she  not  stabbed  her  fair  name  in  a  most  vital  part, 
and  gone  on  with  impunity  ?  Whereas,  if  she  had  assas- 
sinated her  body,  all  the  country  would  have  been  in  arms 
against  her,  and  justice  would  have  been  demanded  by  the 
laws  of  the  country.  Now,  she  had  done  worse,  and  no  one 
interfered  except  her  friends,  who  knew  the  right  side  of  the 
matter,  and  cried  shame,  shame,  upon  her !  And  we  are 
almost  sure  we  saw  some  of  the  effects  of  this  lie  on  the 

mind  of  her  sister  in  W          P          thirty  years  after. 

Nay,  we  do  not  think  it  wrong  to  wish  that  slanderous  wo- 
man, who  could  so  deliberately  tell  this  diabolic  falsehood, 
which  she  knew  to  be  false,  might  yet  receive  in  this 
world  the  full  reward  of  her  foul  deed ;  that  she  may  drink 
the  bitter  cup  to  the  very  dregs ;  for,  if  never  expiated  in 
this  life,  it  will  be  forever  in  the  next,  as  we  can  look  upon 
her  in  no  other  light  than  that  of  a  murderess  of  the  first 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


47 


order.  iNay,  worse;  for  the  effects  of  killing  the  body 
would  have  ceased,  but  the  sufferings  inflicted  by  scandal 
never,  never  cease  till  the  great  day  of  God  Almighty  shall 
come. 

"  Make  no  enemies  ;  he  is  insignificant  indeed,  that  can  do 
thee  no  harm."  Grace  had  never  done  anything  in  her  life 
intentionally  to  make  an  enemy.  Some  may  think  it  a 
light  thing  to  speak  evil  of  the  absent ;  but  that  such  senti- 
ments are  more  popular  among  mankind,  more  so  than  they 
could  ever  be  brought  to  acknowledge  to.  themselves  or 
others,  is  manifest  from  the  favor  in  which  such  people  are 
held.  Favor !  says  one ;  yes,  Javor,  my  dear  sir,  else  the 
practice  would  cease.  "  Where  no  wood  is,  the  fire  goeth 
out ;  so  where  no  tale-bearer  is,  strife  ceaseth."' 

"  Good  morning,  Mr.  Tattle-bearer." 

"Well,"  says  Mr.  Tattle-retailer,  "'did  you  hear  what 
Mrs.  Goodall  has  done?" 

"  Ko,"  says  Mr.  Tattle-bearer. 

"  Well,"  says  Mr.  Tattle-retailer,  "  I  am  sorry  I  men- 
tioned it-;  but,  as  I  have,  I  will  tell  you." 

All  the  time  Mr.  Tattle-retailer  is  so  glad  to  tell  Mr. 
Tattle-bearer,  that  it  is  a  rich  treat  to  him  to  have  this  bit 
of  scandal  to  retail.  "  He  rejoices  more  than  when  their 
corn  and  wine  increase,"  and  does  not  seem  to  even  know 
that  it  is  written  of  a  good  citizen  of  the  world  or  Zion. 
He  is  described  as  one  "  that  walketh  uprightly,  and  work- 
eth  righteousness,  and  speaketh  the  truth  in  his  heart.  He 
that  backbiteth  not  with  his  tongue,  nor  doeth  evil  to  his 
neighbor,  nor  taketh  up  a  reproach  against  his  neighbor." 

We  once  heard  a  man  of  God,  a  good  minister  of  the 
gospel,  say,  "  That  he  did  wish  that  love  could  be  preached 
all  round  his  circuit."  And  we  wish  it  could  be  preached 
all  round  the  world.  And  another  is  like  it,  —  even  better, 
—  which  we  pray  ardently  might  be  printed  in  golden  let- 


48 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


ters  on  the  skies,  and  on  everything  in  creation.  "  Thinketli 
no  evil."  What  is  it  that  thinketh  no  evil  ?  Is  it  man, 
woman,  or  child?  Is  it  cherubim,  seraphim,  or  angel? 
No  ;  it  is  Charity !  And  what  is  charity  ?  Not  your  little 
gifts  called  charity,  grudgingly  dealt  to  the  poor  as  if  you 
were  parting  with  your  life's  blood.  No !  that  is  a  desecra- 
tion of  the  name.  But  how  shall  we  describe  it  ?  Where 
get  words  to  express  it  ?  Who  understands  the  meaning  of 
the  word,  "  Charity  "  ?  Theoretically  and  practically  none 
but  our  heavenly  Master,  and  such  as  have  yielded  them- 
selves to  God,  so  as  to  be  transformed  into  His  glorious  image 
in  heart  and  life,  and  to  obey  the  injunction  of  Him  who  was 
Charity  personified,  —  the  immaculate  Son  of  God,  —  who 
said,  "  Do  unto  all  men  as  ye  would  they  should  do  unto 
you ;  for  this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets."  Whoever  did 
this,  and  failed  to  feel  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness, 
even  though  he  should  be  persecuted  for  it?  From  long 
experience  and  observation,  we  have  found  this  to  be  one 
of  the  most  prevalent  evils  in  this  sin-benighted  world,  and 
one  that  is  indulged  in  by  what  is  called  good  society,  and, 
sometimes  by  those  who  name  the  holy  name  of  Christ, 
with  less  compunctions  of  conscience  than  any  other  sin 
whatever.  Indeed,  such  is  the  frequency  of  this  blinding 
sin,  that  few  persons  take  notice  of  it.  And  there  are  many, 
even  of  comparatively  good  people,  who,  if  they  were  told 
they  were  guilty  of  this  heinous  sin,  would  be  utterly  as- 
tonished, and  be  ready  to  deny  any  such  charge  as  lying  at 
their  door.  The  disease  is  so  deep  and  hidden,  that  none 
but  the  most  skilful  can  detect  it.  And  so  much  do  a  cer- 
tain class  of  mankind  like  to  indulge  in  vituperations 
against  their  kind,  that  it  does  not  seem  as  if  they  wished 
to  desist  from  this  awful  practice,  or  to  be  enlightened  in 
regard  to  it.  Who  has  seen  it  or  heard  it,  say  they  ?  Or 
what  harm  is  there  in  it  ?    I  meant  no  harm.    And  some 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


49 


will  even  wipe  their  mouths,  as  the  evil  woman,  and  say,  "  I 
have  done  no  evil  Our  tongue  is  our  own ;  we  can  say 
what  we  please."  Oh,  yes,  fair  tattler,  therewith  bless  you 
God,  and  therewith  curse  man,  who  is  made  ui  the  simili- 
tude of  God."  They  indulge  in  this  evil  inclination  of  their 
hearts,  because,  as  Mr.  Xoyes  Harris  says,  "  Selfishness,  the 
sin  of  the  world,  has  long  since  become  the  sin  of  the 
Church."  So  these  precious  sinners  know  that  there  is  no 
sin — excepting  that  of  covetousness,  its  mother  or  t^vin-siste^ 
—  more  indiscriminately  overlooked  by  the  world  than  this. 
Therefore  they  have  so  graciously  transferred  it  among  the 
members  of  the  Church,  because  it  is  in  favor,  it  is  fashion- 
able. And  yet  aU  speak  ag-ainst  it.  Scarcely  any  will  ad- 
mit that  he  or  she  is  guilty  of  it,  so  very  much  are  they  be- 
clouded by  the  glamour  of  this  evil.  If,  on  some  occasions, 
their  every  word  of  evil  against  the  absent  was  written 
down  and  brought  before  them,  they  would,  in  all  probabil- 
ity, deny  ever  uttering  such  words,  or  think  you  demented 
in  asserting  such  things  of  them.  They  forget,  or  perhaps 
never  read,  the  holy  words,  If  any  man  have  not  the  spirit 
of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his."  And  that  "  many  shall  say 
unto  Him  in  that  day,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy 
name,  and  in  thy  name  have  done  many  wonderful  works'?" 
And  what  is  the  reply  ?  Depart  irom  me,  ye  workers  of 
iniquity;  for  I  jiever  knew  you."  Oh,  here  is  where  the 
misery  lies  in  Christendom.  The  want  of  love  to  one  an- 
other, esi^ecially  to  those  of  the  household  of  faith. 

We  feel  and  know  that  our  feeble  pen  is  not  sufficient  to 
paint  this  dreadful  picture  of  a  common  evil  as  its  vast  im- 
portance demands.  Would  that  God's  heralds  of  the  Cross 
would  take  it  up  more  zealously  than  they  ever  have  done, 
and  tell  their  people,  tell  all  the  world,  of  the  sin  of  leprosy 
being  upon  them  so  deeply  that  the  taint  runs  from  genera- 
tion 10  generation,  till  indeed,  in  this  matter,  the  sins  of  the 
5  D 


50 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEK, 


fathers  are  visited  upon  the  children,  not  only  to  the  third 
and  fourth  generation,  but  (is  it  not  reversed  ?)  shows  itself 
almost  among  thousands  of  generations,  whose  minds  are 
tainted  with  this  loathsome  practice  or  disease. 

It  is  not  for  us,  either,  to  say  what  the  popular  amuse- 
ments of  a  nation  should  be.  But  would  it  not  be  well  for 
some  master-hand  to  show  off  the  deformity  of  this  vice  in  all 
its  hideousness  ?  Its  slime  can  be  traced  back  to  the  bower' 
of  Eden.  Did  not  the  adversary  of  God  and  man  begin 
by  misrepresentation?  And  of  whom  did  he  speak  evil? 
And  whom  did  he  misrepresent?  Beware,  fair  dealer  in 
slander  I  You  see  whom  you  imitate,  and  whose  model  is 
your  guiding  star  —  Satan,  that  old  serpent,  and  the  great 
and  holy  God  is  the  one  whom  he  misrepresented.  His  most 
faithful  followers  are  sometimes  traduced  most.  This,  you 
see,  is  the  handiwork  of  Satan,  our  common  enemy.  And 
will  you  be  his  ally  ?  Oh  tell  it  not ;  let  not  the  heathen 
hear  this  —  that  citizens  of  the  greatest  country  in  the 
world  deal  in  scandal  and  evil-speaking.  We  have  heard 
that  the  Cuban  ladies  speak  not  evil  of  the  absent — speak  no 
evil  one  of  another.  We  have  advantages  more  than  Cuba. 

Now,  while  Grace  was  waiting  for  the  return  of  Evans, 
Mr.  Napoleon  Smith  had  been  to  town,  and  walking  with 

Miss  Claiborne  and  her  landlady,  Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S  , 

Grace  said,  in  speaking  of  leaving : 

"  I  do  not  like  to  stay  in  a  place  where  I  cannot  make 
my  honorable  support." 

"  Oh,"  said  Smith,  "  your  friends  will  support  you." 
■  Now  Evans,  instead  of  coming  in  a  day  or  two,  had  gone 

to  a  Commencement  in  A  ,  far  beyond  the  place  to 

which  Miss  Claiborne  wished  him  to  take  her.  So  easily 
he  could  have  taken  her  while  on  this  trip.  But  she  knew 
not  of  this,  and  sat  looking  every  day  for  his  return  accord- 
ing to  promise,  until  her  eyes  were  strained  and  she  weary, 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


51 


for  she  was  impatient  to  be  gone.  After  waiting  many 
daysj''  at  last  she  ventured  to  ask  her  landlord  if  he  had 
seen  her  cousin  in  town  recently.    And  behold  he  replied, 

"  Why,  he  has  gone  to  the  Commencement  in  A  ! " 

Miss  Claiborne  was  thunderstruck.  It  was  unaccountably 
strange,  and  passing  strange !  What  could  she  think  ?  Oh 
that  she  had  then  and  there  hired  her  way  on  the  stage  and 

gone  to  M  !    It  stirred  her  up  again,  however,  and 

something  like  resentment  took  possession  of  her  heart  this 
time. 

"  I  will  no  more  be  dependent  on  you,"  said  she,  men- 
tally, *'  if  I  take  the  stage  and  go.  Such  unpunctual  con- 
duct, and  seeming  indifference  to  my  interests,  when  you 
know  how  anxious  I  am  about  this  matter,  and  how  much 
you  have  professed  to  be  concerned  for  my  welfare." 

Now  Smith  knew  of  Evans's  absence  long  before  she  did. 
So  he  went  to  town,  one  day,  with  the  intention  of  calling 
on  Miss  Claiborne.  • 

The  landlady  having  gone  a  shopping,  she  was  alone,  just 
as  he  wished,  he  said.  But  she  would  as  soon  have  thought 
of  a  visit  from  some  inhabitant  of  the  moon  (the  man  in 
the  moon,  for  instance)  as  a  visit  from  him.  And  least  of 
all  —  of  his  business.  She  thought  perhaps  he  had  come  to 
speak  of  her  going  away,  or  other  business  matters.  But 
behold !  he  laid  siege  to  her  heart  and  hand,  and  sat  woo- 
ing her  from  morning  till  high  noon  in  his  own  way.  She 
seemed  not  to  understand  him,  and,  in  fact,  did  not ;  for  he 
spoke  of  her  future  prosperity,  which  she  very  naturally 
thought  applied  to  her  prospects  in  regard  to  making  money 
by  her  school,  as  this  was  the  one  all-prevailing  idea  with 
her. 

Near  the  close  of  his  long  address,  she  said  : 
"  Why,  sir,  I  do  not  think  I  understand  what  you  are 
driving  at." 


52 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


"  Why,  for  us  to  get  married,"  said  he,  "  if  you  are  not 
engaged." 

Then  she  was  astonished  beyond  measure,  and  as  much 
thunderstruck  as  when  she  heard  of  the  exit  of  Evans, 
while  she  was  waiting  for  him  to  take  her  away.  She  came 
very  near  saying  she  was  engaged,  as  that  was  the  im- 
promptu thought  which  came  to  her  mind.  But  as  it  was 
not  the  whole  truth,  as  she  was  engaged  to  no  man,  but 
only  engaged  to  go  away,  that  first  impulse  to  tell  only  part 
of  the  truth,  and  which  would  haye  been  the  light  of 
heaven  to  guide  her  in  this  predicament,  was  not  obeyed. 
She  replied,  "  She  was  not  engaged."  For  he  thought  she 
and  Evans  were  engaged ;  being  his  brother-in-law,  he  had 
heard  such  a  thing  spoken  of  in  the  family. 

Oh,  we  have  often  thought,  why  does  not  some  voice 
speak  from  heaven,  to  guard  the  unwary,  lonely,  and  un- 
protected when  danger  is  nigh.  Perhaps  there  is  a  voice,  if 
we  would  obey  it.  And  this  might  have  been  one  to  her  to 
tell  him  that  she  was  engaged.  She  needed  not  to  tell  him 
how  engaged.  Many  have  too  little  conscientious  regard  for 
the  truth ;  but  some  may  have  a  too  scrupulous  conscience 
on  some  occasions.  Perhaps  this  was  one.  It  seems  all  the 
way  through  that  she  was  bound  to  be  the  child  of  indeci- 
sion, by  listening  to  the  counteracting  voices  of  those  who 
styled  themselves  her  friends. 


cousin.    If  there  was,  it  was  altogether  without  her  knowl- 


CHAPTER  III. 


grace's  MAKRIAGE  —  THE  CAMP-MEETING. 


foregoing  pages  whether 
between  Grace  and  her 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


53 


edge  or  consent,  and  we  believe  it  takes  the  consent  of  the 
contracting  parties  to  make  one  in  our  country.  She  was 
engaged  conditionally,  if  he  came,  to  go  with  him  to  the 
much  desired  place  often  referred  to  iu  this  book.  He 
came  not,  and  the  engagement  never  was  fulfilled.  If  it  had 
been,  perhaps  #liese  pages  never  would  have  been  written. 
She  could,  if  she  had  once  aroused  up  in  all  her  native 
energy,  and  bid  defiance  to  all  these  bafiiing,  inconsistent 
friends,  have  gone  without  their  escort  or  protection.  And 
she  would  have  done  so,  if  she  had  in  the  least  susjDected 
them  of  any  design  to  detain  her  against  her  will.  But  a 
young  lady  of  amiable  disposition,  without  some  powerful 
impetus  to  act,  never  can  go  against  the  advice  of  all  her 
professed  friends,  and  act  in  opposition  to  them.  In  many 
cases,  it  would  be  infinitely  better  for  her  if  she  could  weigh 
well  the  matter,  and  theji,  as  she  had  herself  to  rely  on,  act, 
independently  of  ten  thousand  friends,  for  they  may  not 
know  the  voice  of  Providence  in  these  matters  for  us  as 
well  as  we  do  ourselves. 

He  asked  her  mind  on  the  subject.    She  replied : 
"  Sir,  as  the  thought  is  entirely  new  to  me,  I  must  have 
time  to  deliberate  on  it." 

"  How  long  ?  "  he  said.   As  Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S  intended 

going  to  the  Springs,  she  knew  her  time  would  be  limited 
for  deliberation  on  the  subject,  therefore  she  named  a  com- 
paratively short  time.  It  would  have  been  better  if  she 
had  cut  short  then,  or  had  set  the  time  7iever  to  come.  But 
we  anticipate. 

He  left,  she  thought,  "^^^hen  the  mistress  of  the  house 
returned  she  told  her  of  Mr.  Xapoleon  Smith's  visit.  Mrs. 

M.  A.  B.  S  appeared  to  be  much  pleased  at  this  proposal 

to  her  young  friend,  and  said,  "  He  is  the  very  man  for  you. 
He  has  been  more  uniformly  friendly  to  me  than  any  other 
gentleman  in  the  country.    There  is  a  house  for  you  when- 
5* 


54 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


■ever  you  will  say  the  word.  That  she  had  gone  out  there 
frequently,  and  spent  whole  days  with  Mr.  Smith.  That 
the  children  just  needed  some  one  to  culture  them.  And 
you  are  the  very  person ;  you  are  just  suited  for  such  a 
position." 

Grace  replied  that  "  she  was  not  in  need  of  a  house ; 
that  she  had  never  seen  the  day  yet  that  she  could  not  get 
a  home  any  time  she  wished.  And  as  to  the  children,  I 
have  never  had  any  idea  of  assuming  that  offensive  respon- 
sibility, and  much  maligned  position.  I  never  intended  to 
be  a  stepmother  f  not  that  I  know  aught  for  or  against  it. 
But  if  I  were  to  enter  the  ranks  of  such,  it  would  be  in  the 
spirit  of  a  missionary,  to  take  care,  to  work  for,  and  do 
good  to  the  motherless  children.  Moreover,  I  have  no  idea 
of  marrying  any  man  unless  he  is  a  Methodist  and  a 
Christian." 

"  But  Mr.  Smith  is  a  Methodist  and  a  Christian,"  said 

Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S  ."    This  set  Grace  to  thinking.    "  This 

man  has  been  married  into  the  family  twenty  years;  is 
brother-in-law  to  my  cousin.  If  there  were  anything  amiss 
about  kim,  should  I  not  have  heard  it  ?  " 

She  had  often  heard  her  mother  say  that  she  would  rather 
be  an  old  man's  darling  than  a  young  man's  slave.  Her 
own  dear  teacher  had  said  that  girls  would  often  turn  aside 
from  the  plain  farmer  to  some  coxcomb,  who  would  wear 
his  hat  jauntily,  and  sport  a  silver-  or  gold-headed  cane, 
when,  perhaps,  he  had  not  a  cent  in  his  pocket.  Grace 
never  intepded  to  make  such  a  choice  as  that ;  but  above 
all  things,  she  never  intended  to  marry  but  for  worth  of 
chstracter. 

Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S  did  everything  in  her  power  to  bear 

forcibly  upon  Grace's  mind  in  regard  to  this  gentleman. 
Grace  did  think  a  great  deal,  but  she  had  no  one  to  direct 
her  except  those  in  favor  of  the  gentleman's  suit.' 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWISB. 


55 


On  time  flew.  Smith  sent  his  eldest  son  and  daughter  — 
the  one  eighteen,  and  the  other  sixteen  —  up  to  see  Grace 
their  cousin,  to  get  her  to  go  shopping  with  them.  "  Now," 
thought  Grace,  Smith  has  mentioned  his  intentions  and 
addresses  to  me  to  these  poor  children,  and  they  already 
like  me,  else  they  would  not  seek  my  company."'  Fatal 
mistake  I  And  she  came  very  near  asking  them  how  they 
would  like  her  for  a  mother ;  but  that  shyness  and  modesty 
ladies  feel  on  the  subject  of  courtship,  prevented  her  from 
speaking.  Moreover,  she  fully  believed  the  father  had  set 
all  things  right,  and  hence  she  held  her  peace. 

Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S.'s  trip  to  the  Springs  was  every  day  in 
contemplation.  She  wished  Grace  to  accompany  her,  and 
suggested  that  she  should  send  to  Mr.  Smith  to  get  his  car- 
riage, so  that  her  own  cousin,  jvlr.  M  ,  might  escort  her 

in  company  with  herself  and  Evans's  friend,  who  was  to 
attend  her.  Miss  Claiborne  had  written  to  Smith,  and  sent 
it  by  his  daughter,  with  this  request.  Also  replied  to  one 
written  by  himself,  and  sent  by  the  same  hand,  in  which  he 
requested  her  to  come  home  with  the  children,  and  abide 
there  during  Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S.'s  absence.  Grace  had  said 
in  her  reply,  if  such  a  thing  should  happen,  —  alluding  to 
his  couiiship,  —  she  did  not  think  it  proper  to  abide  at  his 
house.  The  daughter  read  both  the  notes,  and  understood 
neither.  The  son  and  daughter  took  dinner  with  Grace, 
and  returned  home  to  their  father,,  bearing  the  ominous 
note  fraught  with  so  much  consequence  to  all  parties. 

Next  morning.  Sabbath,  before  the  sun  was  up,  and  before 
Miss  Claiborne  was  dressed,  a  negro  man  from  Smith, — ■ 
whom  Grace  called  his  page,  —  came,  bringing  a  note  from 
that  worthy  gentleman  to  Grace.  Xow  she  was  vexed,  and 
if  she  had  been  left  to  herself,  would  have  snapped  every- 
thing asunder  then  and  there.     But  Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S  

smoothed  the  apparent  difficulty.    Mr.  Smith  said  in  the 


56 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


note  to  Grace,  "  as  to  the  gig,  she  was  welcome  to  that  and 
all  he  had."  A  gracious  offer  for  a  father  of  many  heirs  to 
make  to  the  successor,  in  view,  to  their  mother.  A  hollow 
and  false  offer,  doubtless,  to  say  nothing  of  its  injustice. 
"  But,"  said  he,  further,  I  am  unwilling  for  you  to  go  to 
the  Springs."  Quite  a  prerogative  and  an  assumption  for 
a  man  who  had  recently  broached  the  subject  of  courtship, 
and  knew  not  yet  what  would  be  the  result  of  his  suit. 

Grace,  let  alone,  would  have  written  him  he  need  come 
no  more,  nor  trouble  himself  ,  any  further  about  her.  How 
true  are  our  instincts  to  our  own  preservation !  And  how 
balked  and  biased  by  our  friends,  who  see  not  as  we  do. 
But  her  friend  prevented,  and  she  suffered  herself  to  be  led 
by  her. 

She,  however,  wrote  very  discouragingly  to  him ;  said 
the  charge  seemed  to  be  too  great  for  her.  He  said  also  in 
the  note,  "  that  he  wished  to  come  up  next  day,  or  the  day 
following,  and  have  their  designs  accomplished."  What 
haste  !  And  what  was  it  all  for  ?  Ah  !  he  knew.  He  had 
a  design,  certainly.  But  his  design  was  hid  away  down  in 
his  own  heart,  all  unknown  to  his  victim,  or  others  whose 
happiness  or  woe  was  not  in  his  thoughts. 

That  evening  being  Sabbath,  he  thought  there  would  be 
a  crowd  of  young  company,  and  hence  was  afraid  to  show 
himself,  among  so  many,  as  a  competitor  for  Miss  Claiborne's 
favor. 

Napoleon  Smith,  as  was  said  before,  was  about  twenty 
years  older  than  Grace  Claiborne,  but  still  quite  youthful 
in  his  appearance.  So,  after  the  dreaded  Sabbath  evening 
was  over,  very  early  on  Monday  morning,  he  appeared  before 
Grace  at  her  boarding-house.  Nothing,  it  seemed,  could  put 
him  back.  He  told  his  children,  when  he  left  home,  he 
was  going  on  business,  but  did  not  tell  them  what  kind 
of  business.     Had  his  intended  victim  used  the  like 


AND   HUSKS   OF   SWINE.  57 

duplicity  on  Mm,  he  would  have  had  no  further  business 

with  her.    And  when  he  came  he  found  Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S  

ready  to  start  on  her  trip  to  the  Springs.  Grace  had 
declined  going,  not  because  he  was  unwilling,  but  because 
she  had  no  way  to  go  without  sending  to  Smith  again. 

She  had  not  decided  yet  what  she  would  do.    Mrs.  M.  A. 

B.  S          said  to  her,  if  she  did  conclude  to  accept  Mr. 

Smith  and  wait  a  couple  of  months  till  her  return  from 
abroad,  she  would  give  her  a  splendid  supper.  When 
Smith  came,  early,  as  was  said  before,  she  told  him  again 
the  charge  seemed  too  great  for  her,  young  as  she  was  ; 
that  she  had  ever  thought  she  never  would  be  what  is  called 
a  stepmother.  But  he  met  ever}^  objection.  And  she  did 
not  think,  in  this  case,  she  would  be  looked  upon  in  that 
light.  The  children's  mother  being  her  kinswoman,  she 
thought  any  other  name  besides  the  offensive  one  would  do. 

Smith  was  so  eager,  that  he  took  no  notice  of  any  dis- 
couragements thrown  in  his  way.  Grace  thought  him  in  a 
great  hurry,  and  could  not  imagine  why  he  was  so.  Surely, 
she  thought,  he  cannot  think  that  I  am  ready  to  marry 
him  as  soon  as  the  subject  is  mentioned.  He  would  not 
listen  to  the  proposition  to  wait  till  Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S.'s 
return.  There  he  sat  again,  from  morning  early  till  high 
noon,  telling  her  he  had  plenty  to  wait  on  her ;  and  when 
she  told  him  she  could  not  do  hard  work,  or  what  is  called 
drudgery,  he  said  he  would  not  have  her  do  that,  for  he 
was  able  to  keep  her  from  it.  And  as  she  had  heard  only 
a  good  report  of  him,  she  then,  in  the  sight  of  high  heaven, 
engaged  herself  to  him,  being  untrammelled  from  a// others, 
and  free  to  love  and  marry  whom  she  pleased. 

Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S  had  said  she  was  justly  calculated  to 

raise  and  educate  those  children.  And  her  bountiful  eye 
and  expansive  heart,  when  she  did  get  her  consent  to 
undertake  the  charge,  looked  upon  it  in  the  light  of  a 


68 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


large  missionary  field  of  labor,  better  adapted  to  her  large 
views  tban  if  she  had  married  a  young  man  with  no  incum- 
brance. Where  a  more  noble  work  than  to  take  care  of 
motherless  children?  And  oh,  if  it  had  been  a  well-regu- 
lated family,  how  truly  might  her  labors  have  been  appre- 
ciated and  blessed  !  All  to  whom  she  spoke  approved  her 
choice  but  one  man,  and  he  the  husband  of  her  landlady. 
He  made  some  remarks  to  Grace  about  Smith  that  she 
never  forgot  all  her  life ;  because  the  man  was  not  good 
himself,  and  he  knew  better  than  she  what  was  in  a  man, 
when  speaking  from  his  own  experience. 

The  sequel  proved  that  Smith  was  afraid  of  Evans's 
return  home ;  for  if  he  had  come  before  they  were  married, 
and  Miss  Claiborne  had  asked  counsel  of  him,  —  as  she 
doubtless  would  have  done,  —  and  he  had  given  the  least 
intimation  that  Smith  had  not  been  as  kind  to  his  sister. 
Smith's  wife,  she  would  have  discarded  him,  no  matter  how 
far  she  had  proceeded  in  the  matter,  —  all  but  tying  the 
fatal  knot.  But  of  this  opportunity  Smith  was  determined 
she  should  have  no  chance. 

And  thus,  shortly  after,  they  were  married  one  beautiful 
day  in  August  (Tuesday).  The  sun  shone  most  brilliantly. 
It  was  a  delightfully  clear  and  happy  day  to  the  parties. 
A  nice  little  party  of  seven  or  eight  persons,  the  parson, 
the  good  Presbyterian  minister,  her  associate  teacher,  who 
had  always  been  her  friend,  and  who  rejoiced  in  what  he 
thought  her  good  fortune  in  getting  a  good  steady  man. 
And  then  in  the  midst  of  a  gazing,  surprised,  and  admir- 
ing multitude,  they  set  out  for  his  residence  in  the  country. 
The  news  sped  like  fire,  for  no  one  in  all  that  town,  except 
the  parties  concerned,  knew,  or  perhaps  thought,  of  such  a 
thing,  till  it  was  over,  and  they  in  pleasure  and  happiness 
riding  home.  Poor  girl !  little  did  she  know  what  awaited 
her.    Better  for  her  had  she  gone  to  her  grave  that  day, 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


59 


than  to  have  gone  to  her  husband's  home.  But  God's  pur- 
poses are  unknown  and  unsearchable  to  us.  She,  at  least, 
had  no  designs  in  this  marriage  but  good  ones. 

When  Grace  arrived  at  her  husband's  residence,  expect- 
ing to  be  met  with  smiles  and  welcome,  behold,  he  had  not 
told  his  children  at  all  of  his  intended  marriage.  Xor  had 
he  told  his  bride  that  his  poor  children  did  not  know  it. 
What  was  all  this  for  ? 

There  came  times  over  Grace  Claiborne,  or  now  Mrs. 
Smith,  in  after  life,  when,  if  a  man  had  so  deceived  her, 
and  his  children  too,  —  two  such  important  interested  par- 
ties, —  and  his  children  had  commenced  the  hue  and  cry, 
as  these  poor  deceived  children  did,  she  Avould  have  deliber- 
atelv  walked  out  of  his  house,  and  told  him  she  would  not 
live  with  him  ;  and  if  he  would  not  have  sent  her  back,  she 
would  have  walked  back  to  town  and  managed  her  own  case 
for  herself,  and  he  might  have  done  the  same  for  himself.  Oh, 
if  she  had  had  the  spirit  to  have  done  it  then !  But  no ;  so 
calm  and  self-possessed  was  she,  and  so  taciturn,  that  she 
said  not  a  word  to  all  that  was  said  by  his  children,  company 
and  domestics.  She  sat  a  mute  spectator,  and  in  deep 
thought.  "  Got  a  young  wife,"  said  the  eldest  daughter  ; 
"  he  won't  care  for  his  children."  He  can  love  both  wife 
and  children,  thought  the  patient  bride,  and,  in  her  inmost 
soul,  felt  only  like  an  older  sister  to  this  poor  child,  —  for 
the  daughter  was  only  about  sixteen,  and  the  bride  a  few 
years  older.  And  oh,  if  this  had  been  a  right  sort  of  family, 
to  have  suited  her,  how  happy  she  might  have  been.  The 
poor  daughter  Mrs.  Smith  did  pity  again,  when  at  the 
dinner-table  she  said  to  her  father,  "Well,  I  think  you 
might  have  let  me  know  you  were  going  to  get  married,  so 
that  I  might  have  had  a  better  dinner."  This  poor  child 
had,  after  her  mother's  death,  taken  charge  of  her  father's 
house,  and  had  attended  to  her  little  brothers  and  sisters ; 


60 


BUEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


and  the  neighbors  said  she  had  acquitted  herself  weU.  And 
if  she  never  did  treat  that  mother's  cousin  well,  —  now  her 
father's  wife, —  who  was  most  to  blame,  father  or  daughter  ? 

Let  a  child  have  its  own  way  nearly  "all  its  life ;  pretend 
you  are  making  property  for  it,  for  it  alone ;  nourish  its 
prejudices  in  their  rank  growth  towards  a  certain  class, 
and  then  bring  one  of  that  class  athwart  every  interest  for- 
merly felt  in  the  child  ;  pretend  to  give  all  preference  and 
deference  to  that  one  objectionable  person,  against  whom 
you  have  shown  no  industry  or  justice  in  trying  to  keep 
down  or  root  out  these  passions  engendered  in  the  mind  of 
your  child  against  that  person.  Put  all  their  interests  into 
juxtaposition,  and  either  throw,  or  pretend  to  throw,  all 
your  weight  on  the  side  of  the  obnoxious  one,  and  what  will 
be  the  result  ? 

"  Better,"  says  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  "  that  the  rich  and  poor 
meet  together,  than  the  vulgar  and  well-bred."  And  when 
a  family  is  allowed  to  be  on  equal  terms  with  their  menials ; 
children  associate  with  negroes;  and  the  father  does  not 
bring  them  up  in  the  fear  and  in  the  nurture  and  admoni- 
tion of  the  Lord  ;  play  marbles  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  any 
other  desecration  they  see  fit,  we  do  not  call  them  well-bred. 
God  said  he  knew  Abraham  that  he  would  order  his  house 
after  him."  And  that  these  were  neither  refined,  educated, 
nor  well-bred,  we  can  fully  attest  from  further  developments. 
"Who  was  to  blame,  father  or  children  ?  We  simply  know 
facts,  and  must  desist  now  on  this  part,  as  it  properly  belongs 
to  another  future  work ;  as  we  intend  mainly  in  this  to  con- 
fine ourselves  to  Smith's  conduct  towards  his  new  wife. 
She  would  have  loved  him  better  than  ever  man  was  loved, 
if  he  had  treated  her  with  justice  ;  if  he  had  been  the  Chris- 
tian he  had  been  represented  to  be.  But  oh,  the  yellow 
fever  of  the  world  had  fastened  on  his  vitals  before  Miss 
Grace  Claiborne  ever  saw  him !    Serpent-like,  its  fangs  had 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


61 


twined  closely  about  his  heart's  core.  The  love  of  this 
world,  and  the  good  things  of  it,  were  the  ruling  passions. 
For  it  he  had  delved  day  and  night,  in  heat  and  cold.  "  He 
was  determined  to  be  rich."  Therefore  he  thought  Miss 
Claiborne  should  marry  him  without  hesitation  because  he 
had  some  property.  ♦ 

Time  moved  on.  Thursday  came.  Evans  returned  from 
the  Commencement.  He  called  at  Smith's  gate,  and  Smith 
w^ent  out  to  see  him.  Grace  had  not  seen  her  cousin  since 
the  day  he  had  promised  to  carry  her  back,  which  promise 
he  never  came  to  fulfil,  and  now  it  was  too  late  I  Too  late ! 
Fatal  vrords  to  some  poor  mortals  in  this  uncertain  world. 

Grace  and  Smith's  eldest  daughter  were  standing  in  the 
long  piazza  in  front  of  his  house,  the  daughter  looking  by 
no  means  pleasant. 

"  Come  out  here,  and  answer  for  yourself,"  said  Evans  to 
Mrs.  Smith.    Words  to  this  day  she  does  not  understand. 

He  spoke  to  Smith  of  his  trip  abroad,  and  of  some  reli- 
gious revivals  he  had  witnessed  during  his  absence,  and  said 
-he,  "  Among  the  rest,  I  tried  to  get  some  religion  myself." 

Mrs.  Smith  was  moved  to  hear  these  words  from  his  lips ; 
for  she  had  felt  a  tender  concern  for  her  cousin's  salvation, 
and  had  prayed  frequently  for  him.  [N'ow,  to  hear  this  con- 
fession from  his  own  mouth,  that  he  desired  a  portion  of  the 
heavenly  gift  for  himself,  caused  her  tender  heart  to  glow 
and  sympathy  to  flow. 

The  old  domestics  in  the  background  of  the  picture  said 
among  themselves,  "  Miss  Grace  and  Massa  Evans  were  en- 
gaged ;  now  Miss  Grace  is  sorry."  What  Smith  thought  on 
that  memorable  day  was  unknown.  His  bride  never  knew 
until  two  months  later.  Evans  rode  off,  and  even  to  Mrs. 
Smith's  unsuspecting  eye  he  had  a  strange  manner  ;  but  she 
could  not  tell  why  it  was,  for  she  had  done  him  no  wrong. 
On  the  contrary,  she  thought  the  wrong  lay  at  his  own  door. 
6  . 


62 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


His  failure  to  fulfil  a  promise  which  she  thought  ought  to 
have  been,  sacred  to  him,  inasmuch  as  it  had  been  made 
from  the  beginning  of  their  acquaintance.  His  going  off, 
and  leaving  her  in  a  state  of  suspense,  was  cause  sufiicient, 
in  our  estimation,  for  her  to  have  been  much  grieved  with 
him,  if  not  offended.  In  this  light  it  does  seem  to  us  others 
will  atso  view  it.  Smith  remarked  that  "  Evans  looked  like 
a  distracted  man."  Evans's  relations  —  who  were  also  Mrs. 
Smith's  relatives  —  with  one  accord  chose  to  be  dissatisfied 
on  account  of  Smith's  marriage.  Why,  we  never  knew, 
and  still  more  strange,  as  they  had  all,  so  far  as  we  knew, 
expressed  themselves  highly  delighted  with  their  newly- 
found  relation.  Whether  it  was  on  Smith's  account,  or 
because  of  his  manner  in  the  matter,  never  disclosing  a  word 
of  his  intended  marriage  to  any  of  them,  is  unknown. 

One  day,  after  the  marriage,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Smith  happened  to  be  at  Evans's  father's.  They  were  first 
cousins.    Evans's  father  exclaimed : 

"  Well,  I  did  not  think  Grace  would  have  done  so !  '* 

"  And  she  in  the  Methodist  Church,  too  ! " 

"  My  son  Evans  having  gone  away  yonder,  and  brought 
her  out  here,  and  now  she  has  married  Smith ! " 

Bravo,  good  uncle !  what  had  that  to  do  with  your  fair 
cousin  marrying  whom  she  pleased?  Because  your  son 
had  been  kind  to  her,  and  had  also  neglected  her  when  it 
suited  his  convenience,  did  the  former  circumstance  lay  her 
under  such  weighty  obligations  as  to  waive  all  her  rights 
to  sit,  stand,  or  lie  still  till  he  should  go  the  world's  rounds 
and  then  return,  and  it  follow,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that 
she  must  be  ready  and  waiting  his  pleasure,  whatever  that 
might  be?  You  were  very  much  mistaken  in  your  esti- 
mate of  your  fair  relation,  if  you  thought  thus.  That  brave 
but  quiet  spirit  partakes,  perhaps,  of  some  of  your  pride, 
and  w^ould  not  brook  a  slight  from  the  nearest  friend  she 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


63 


had  on  eaii:li,  but  would  in  some  way,  sooner  or  later,  show 
that  she  was  neither  callous  nor  insensible  in  the  slightest 
degree.  AVhen  she  said  nothing,  she  thought  and  felt  the 
more.  Xo  matter  what  were  the  causes,  the  relations  were 
said  to  be  all  in  a  stir  and  commotion.  Smith  said  he  had 
seen  it  and  heard  it.    His  wife  did  not  see  it. 

The  day  after  their  marriage,  Smith  went  among  some 
of  his  first  wile's  relations  —  a  sister  to  the  first  Mrs.  Smith, 
who  had  charge  of  his  infant  son.  This  lady  was  a  kind 
and  friendly  lady,  yet  thought  her  relationship  gaye  her 
the  priyilege  of  speaking  her  mind  to  Smith.  She  was  yery 
much  incensed  at  him,  and  told  him  what  she  thought  of 
him  ;  but  what  she  said  of  Mrs.  Smith,  we  knew  not.  Smith 
said  to  her,  "Grace  wished  to  come  with  me,  and  if  she  had, 
and  you  had  spoken  thus,  you  would  haye  set  her  crying ; 
and  she  and  I  would  neyer  haye  set  our  feet  in  your  house 
again  during  life."  This  caused  her  to  be  silent.  But  poor 
Grace,  in  her  artless  simplicity,  haying  done  them  no  wrong 
that  she  was  conscious  of,  put  on  her  bonnet,  and  told  Smith 
she  wished  to  go  with  him  to  her  cousin's,  his  sister-in-law, 
to  see  both  her  and  the  little  boy.  But  he  requested  her 
not  to  go.  Such  conduct  was  well  calculated  to  keep  the 
children  in  a  ferment.  They  were  angry  at  Smith  because 
he  had  consulted  none  of  them;  for  he  said  they  had 
neglected  both  him  and  his  children  after  their  mother's 
death ;  and  that,  consequently,  he  felt  under  no  obligations 
to  consult  them  about  his  second  marriage.  That  he  had 
inyited,  and  eyen  besought,  their  grandmother  to  come  and 
see  them,  and  direct  the  children  how  to  do  ;  for  they  were 
young,  and  knew  nothing  of  domestic  business,  and  that 
eyerything  was  wasting,  and  going  to  destruction  about  the 
house. 

But  after  Eyans  rode  off  that  neyer  forgotten  day,  he  said 
to  his  young  wife,  "  I  see  they  are  all  mad ;  and  I  don't 


64  BEEAD  OF   HEAVEN,  * 

care  a  cent  about  it,  now  I  have  got  you  ;  and  if  they  don't 
mind,  I  will  go  to  market,  when  I  sell  my  cotton,  and  buy 
one  of  the  finest  carriages  I  can  find."  This  seemed  to  be 
strange  to  Grace — kind  and  gentle  in  her  disposition.  She 
did  not  understand  this  kind  of  spitework  among  relations. 
And  we  are  sure  never  desired  any  display,  more  than  he 
had  shown  to  his  first  wife,  to  anger  his  children  or  her 
relations.  Truth,  eternal  truth,  and  justice,  and  even 
sealed  justice,  were  all  that  she  wished.  And  if  it  were 
meted  to  all  our  relations  in  life,  how  much  misery  and 
sorrow  might  be  prevented.  But  if  they  were  mad,  to  use 
Smith's  phrase,  and  afraid  of  him,  why,  in  the  name  of 
heaven,  vent  it  on  his  innocent  wife,  who  knew  him  not  as 
they  did,  and  who  would,  in  all  probability,  judging  from 
the  signs  before  her,  have  sorrow  enough  without  their 
added  power  to  give  pain?  Had  she,  but  two  minutes 
before  the  fatal  knot  was  tied,  license  or  no  license,  seen 
but  a  little  inkling  of  these  hot-headed  doings,  and  Smith's 
disposition  of  spitework,  that  marriage  would  never  have  ^ 
been  deplored  by  either  party. 

Time  passed  on,  and  with  it  many  occurrences  never  to 
be  forgotten.  Sometime  after  this  marriage,  which  was  so 
prolific  of  contention,  Evans's  mother  and  father  passed  by 
Smith's  house,  on  their  way  to  the  daughter  who  had  Smith's 
youngest  child  in  charge.  Neither  of  them  stopped  nor  turned 
their  heads  towards  the  house.    This  incensed  Smith. 

Next :  his  eldest  daughter  had  a  suitor,  a  young  man  of 
some  smartness ;  thought  by  many  to  possess  more  conceit 
than  real  talent.  He  had  been  quite  polite  to  Mrs.  Smith 
before  her  marriage.  She  had  nothing  against  him.  But 
Smith  and  his  brother,  and  Evans,  too,  were  very  much 
opposed  to  him. 

Evans  had  never  spoken  of  Smith's  family  on  their  trip 
to  this  county,  except  in  calling  at  his'  eldest  and  half- 


AND   HUSKS   OF   SWINE.  65 

sister's  by  the  way.  Smith's  eldest  daughter  being  there, 
he,  by  way  of  apology  for  her  untutored  appearance,  saidT 
she  had  had  but  few  opportunities,  as  her  father  had  gen- 
erally lived  in  backwoods  countries.  This  was  not  a  very 
favorable  recommendation  of  Smith's  manner  of  life  with 
his  young  and  rising  family.  But  now  that  this  young  man 
was  displeasing  to  him,  he  would  threaten  to  cowhide  his 
daughter,  chain  her,  and  lock  her  up. 

Mrs.  Smith  said  to  her  husband,  "This  is  not  the  best 
course  to  pursue  with  your  daughter.  It  will  rather  have 
the  effect  contrary  to  your  Avishes  —  that  of  driving  her  into 
it.  The  mildest  means  are  best.  I  should  resort  to  these 
first,  at  least." 

Evans  said  to  Smith  his  daughter  might  be  more  obsti- 
nate because  she  was  opposed  to  her  father's  marriage. 
But  she  knew  not  of  her  father's  marriage;  and  how 
could  she  be  opposed  before  it  was  too  late  ?  Not  pos- 
sessing the  most  amiable  disposition,  and  owing  to  her  want 
of  piety  and  knowledge  on  the  subject  of  her  duty  to  her 
father,  she  could  not  so  easily  acquiesce  in  what  she  con- 
sidered an  arbitrary  use  of  power  on  his  part.  Almost  any 
child,  who  had  been  taught  her  duty  no  better  than  she 
had,  would  have  acted  perversely  on  an  occasion  like  this; 
when  she  and  her  father's  wife  had  been,  without  her  knowl- 
edge or  consent,  thrown  pell-mell  together,  without  previous 
warning  or  introduction  on  either  side,  with  regard  to  the 
all-important  matter  of  getting  and  bringing  a  new  wdfe 
into  his  family.  But  Smith  seemed  not  to  have  considered 
the  matter  in  this  light.  Perhaps  he  cared  not,  so  he  ob- 
tained his  object;  for  he  certainly  knew,  or  ought  to  have 
known,  that  his  children  would  be  opposed.  It  seems  to 
us  now,  after  the  lapse  of  many  years,  that  he  in  this  affair 
took  the  advantage  of  all  parties  concerned,  —  wife,  chil- 
dren, relations,  Evans,  and  all.  But  he,  at  least,  knew  what 
6*  E 


66 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


he  was  about.  That  was  the  reason  he  was  in  such  haste  to 
have  all  things  over  ;  for  if  he  had  waited  only  a  few  days, 
there  would  have  been  a  fly-off  somewhere.  Mrs.  Smith 
needed  only  to  have  seen  his  eldest  daughter,  and  heard 
her  express  a  few  words^  to  have  deterred  her  from  it  for- 
ever !  But  it  was  too  late !  And  it  does  seem  to  us  that 
any  set  of  people,  who  did  at  all  consider  the  peace  and 
happiness  of  one  another,  would  have  pursued  a  different 
course,  —  a  course  that  would  have  given  rise  to  less  dissen- 
sion among  the  parties. 

Smith  appeared  to  be  delighted  with  his  wife,  and  to  be 
now,  if  never  before^  eating  the  bread  of  heaven  in  connu- 
bial- happiness.  All  that  she  did  was  well-pleasing  to  him, 
and  she  seemed  to  be  the  light  of  his  eye,  the  desire  of  his 
heart,  and  pride  of  his  life.  Many  times  a  day  he  would 
say  to  her,  "  My  dear,  you  please  me  exactly."  And  she, 
on  her  part,  put  forth  all  her  energies  to  please  him  and  his 
family. 

Grace  said  to  him  the  day  they  were  married,  while 
riding  home,  "How  I  shall  delight  to  take  care  of  your 
little  children." 

And  he  replied,  "  My  dear,  how  well  you  will  please  me 
in  that." 

But,  alas !  all  her  honest  efforts  were  unavailing  from 
some  cause  or  other.  Perhaps  we  may  see  by  the  time  we 
wade  through  all  this  sea  of  strife. 

About  this  time  a  camp-meeting,  sixteen  miles  distant, 
was  to  come  off.  It  is  true,  Mrs.  Smith  liked  to  go.  Having 
been  a  camp-meeting  Methodist,  such  a  place  was  desirable 
to  her.  But  Smith's  inertness  and  lethargy  caused  him  to 
be  disinclined  to  go.  The  great  obstacle  in  the  way  was, 
that  he  would  not  have  a  tent  for  the  accommodation  of 
his  family,  and  she  had  not  had  time  yet  to  have  all  the 
children  clad  as  she  desired.  Although  in  delicate  health, 
she  had,  in  less  than  two  months,  made  nearly  a  hundred 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


67 


garments  for  the  family ;  had  the  four  daughters  well  pre- 
pared, and  the  eldest  son  also ;  had  sat  up  till  midnight, 
while  the  father  was  snoring  soundly.,  wrapped  iu  the  arms 
of  Morpheus,  as  if  nothing  on  earth  troubled  him,  while 
his  poor,  faithful,  courageous  wife  was  sewing,  and  fixing 
bonnets  and  dresses  for  his  youngest  daughter  as  well  as  for 
the  others.  All  on  her  part  was  ready  but  the  three  little 
boys.  For  these  it  had  been  impossible  to  have  all  neces- 
sary clothing  prepared.  Mrs.  Smith  vras  willing  either  way 
—  to  go  or  stay,  as  her  husband  said. 

There  was  one  thing,  however,  which  decided  her.  The 
eldest  daughter  was  anxious  to  go.  The  father  said  she 
wished  to  go  for  the  object  of  seeing  her  suitor,  and  he  ob- 
served to  his  wife,  "  Unless  you  go,  she  shall  not  go."  This 
caused  the  mother  to  go,Yeeble  and  nervous  as  she  was  from 
too  much  work.  She  packed  up,  and  set  off  with  an  unde- 
fiuable  feeling  she  could  not  account  for,  as  though  something 
were  going  to  happen,  of  which  she  could  give  no  guess. 

The  daughter  and  mother  went  together,  she  driving  six- 
teen miles,  through  smoke  and  dust,  vrith  a  severe  headache; 
the  rest  were  with  the  father  in  another  carriage.  The  three 
little  boys  were  left  behind  with  an  old  domestic,  with  di- 
rections to  cook  something  for  them  like  everything  they 
carried  to  the  camp-meeting.  Although  the  children's  aunt, 
who  had  the  infant  son,  in  her  kindness  had  sent  for  Smith 
and  all  his  family  to  abide  at  her  tent,  yet  Mrs.  Smith 
thought  proper  to  take  with  them  a  considerable  amount  of 
provisions,  and  some  bedding. 

But  here  let  us  pause,  for  this  was  a  never-to-be-forgot- 
ten camp-meeting  to  Mrs.  Smith.  And  we  can  see  that 
although  Smith  consented  to  go,  yet  he  was  angiy  that  he 
had  not  had  cause  or  resolution,  before  his  new  wife,  to  say 
he  would  not  go.  He  did  not  like  to  yet,  or  perhaps  had 
not  yet  got  angry  enough  with  her  to  poke  out  his  cloven 


68 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


foot,  and  show  himself  in  his  true  colors.  If  a  father  had 
raised  a  daughter  to  be  sixteen,  and  could  suspect  her  of 
nothing  but  designs  in  going  to  a  camp-meeting  to  see  a 
young  man  to  whom  she  was  attached,  he  of  course  judged 
from  his  own  way  of  having  designs  that  way,  and,  as  a  mat- 
ter of  course,  he  could  suspect  others  too.  Up  to  this  time 
he  had  been  remarkably  kind  to  Mrs.  Smith,  and  so  loving, 
that  he  had  developed  nothing  in  his  nature  of  jealousy  or 
suspicion.  At  that  time  Mrs.  Smith  scarcely  knew  the 
meaning  of  jealousy,  and  perhaps  would  as  soon  have 
thought  of  the  world  coming  to  an  end,  as  any  jealousy  or 
suspicion  on  his  part  towards  her,  so  all-devoted  did  he 
seem  to  be  to  her ;  and  she  gave  him  every  proof  any  man 
of  sense  would  have  asked  of  her  fidelity  in  all  things.  She 
made  no  visits,  saw  no  company  but  him  and  his  crowd  at 
home,  and  worked  both  day  and  night,  as  before  stated,  for 
them.  She  did  cast  in  her  mind,  sometimes,  what  kind  of 
bearing  he  had  towards  his  children,  and  thought  him 
wrong  many  times,  but  extended  her  thoughts  no  farther. 
She  knew  not,  dreamed  not,  that  a  demon  big  as  Gehenna 
slept  in  his  bosom,  and  ere  long  was  to  devastate  every  ves- 
tige of  future  happiness  for  her  and  others  for  all  coming 
time.  The  relations  and  children,  from  his  version  of  the 
case,  had  been  evidently  much  to  blame  in  strewing  the 
husks  of  swine  in  his  way,  when  his  moral  stamina  was  not 
sufiicient  to  resist  any  opposing  current  in  his  way ;  although 
he  certainly  was  to  blame,  as  a  first  cause,  more  than  any 
one  else.  Through  his  hasty  designs  of  right  or  wrong, 
pleased  or  displeased,  he  got  a  wife  with  whom  he  said  he 
was  pleased.  Why  not  stay  pleased  ?  Why  hunt  up  some 
foreign  cause  or  pretext  for  throwing  off  his  superfluous  or 
diseased  humors  ? 

Mrs.  Smith  never  thought  of  any  trouble  coming  to  her 
through  her  husband.    Innocent  and  gentle  as  a  lamb,  and 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


69 


confiding  as  a  child,  all  lier  severe  tasks  as  a  mother,  and 
mistress  of  some  forty  or  fifty  in  fiimily,  seemed  light  to  her 
courageous  nature,  as  did  the  fourteen  years  of  servitude  to 
young  Jacob  for  his  beautiful  Eachel ;  and  her  husband 
was  continually  praising  her,  and  calling  her  endearing 
names.  But  it  is  apparent,  now,  that  his  selfish  nature  vras 
vexed  because  his  family  had  gone  to  the  camp-meeting, 
and  had  disturbed  his  equilibrium  of  quiet.  Provided  he 
gained  his  objects,  he  cared  not  to  be  disturbed  by  the 
claims  of  others. 

The  next  Sabbath  after  they  were  married,  he  sat  eating 
peaches,  and  his  wife  suffering,  and  even  writhing  in  pain 
and  almost  agony.  Shortly  after,  on  another  Sabbath,  when 
she  could  but  weep  because  he  would  not  go  to  church 
with  them,  he  rose  up  out  of  his  slumbers,  even  of  a  Sab- 
bath morning,  and  said,  "Are  all  the  women  in  the  vrorld 
alike?  Take  the  horses,  the  mules,  the  carriage,  the  chil- 
dren, and  the  negroes  to  wait  on  you  all,  and  go.  I  do  not 
wish  to  go."  As  much  as  to  say,  "Let  me  alone."  He  was 
not  going  to  town  now  to  get  his  carriage  mended,  and  to 
bring  home  a  new  wife  to  his  family.  Thus  she  was  com- 
pelled, if  she  went  at  all,  to  go  in  company  with  the  chil- 
dren and  negroes.  And  at  this  camp-meeting  he  was  doubt- 
less afraid  that  his  beautiful  wife,  as  he  called  her,  would  be 
seen  by  some  of  her  former  admirers.  She  had  been  as  closely 
confined  at  home,  even  after  her  marriage,  as  was  possible 
for  her  to  be ;  and  had  she  had  the  most  distant  suspicion 
of  such  a  thing  now,  we  know  she  never  would  have  gone 
to  that  cami^-meeting.  Still,  of  what  avail  would  it  have 
been?  The  smothered  fire  was  in  his  heart,  and  was  sure 
to  break  forth  some  day,  cause  or  no  cause,  excuse  or 
no  excuse.  In  fact,  jealousy  needs  no  cause  but  imaginary 
ones. 

"Trifles  light  as  air  are,  to  ilie  jealou?, 
Confirmations  strong  as  proofs  of  Holy  Writ ; " 


70 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEK, 


for  from  the  day  of  Evans's  strange  manner  in  riding  off, 
Mrs.  Smith  saw  him  no  more  till  at  this  camp-meeting. 
And  we  know  if  she  had  ever  thought  her  husband  enter- 
tained any  jealousy  concerning  him,  she  would  have  hid 
herself  at  home.  Her  self-immolation  on  the  altar  of  his 
selfishness  and  jealousies  had  already  commenced  in  his  not 
wishing  her  to  go  anywhere  —  not  going  himself,  nor  wish- 
ing her  to  go  without  him.    But  she  knew  it  not. 

Not  long  after  their  arrival  at  the  encampment,  Evans 
and  his  friend  came.  They  were  glad  to  meet  Mrs.  Smith. 
One  of  them,  Evans's  friend,  had  not  seen  her  since  her 
marriage.  Her  conduct  is  remembered  well  while  at  this 
camp-meeting  ;  for  had  she  been  in  the  immediate  presence 
of  God  and  his  holy  angels,  she  could  have  been  no  more 
prudent.  Not  that  she  feared  aught.  This  was  her  every- 
day course.  "  Thou  God  seest  me  "  was  in  her  public  walks 
and  private  ways.  In  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  her 
friends  came  around  her  numerously,  —  old  admirers, 
young  ladies  and  girls,  her  former  pupils  and  lady  asso- 
ciates. She  sat  by  the  kitchen  fire,  it  being  quite  cold,  still 
doing  something  she  had  not  finished  for  some  of  the  little 
girls.    The  young  ladies  and  pupils  followed  her  there. 

At  night,  her  miserable  headache  returned  —  originating 
from  her  over-fatigue  and  incessant  toil  and  excitement,  all 
of  which  unstrung  her  delicate  nerves,  and  laid  her  pros- 
trate on  her  bed.  She  called  her  husband  to  her,  and 
requested  him  to  stay  with  her.  He  sat  awhile,  and  then 
went  out.  He,  too,  wished  to  be  with  friends.  Unsuspect- 
ing wife  I  she  did  not  dream  he  could  be  jealous  of  her 
friends !  Evans  came  once  and  asked  after  her  health.  The 
next  day  she  was  better,  and  came  out  into  the  open  part 
of  the  tent.  Her  welfare  was  again  inquired  after  by 
Evans,  as  well  as  by  many  others. 

A  bright  and  cheering  day  it  was,  although  the  chill  of 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE.  71 

October  frosts  was  on  the  ground.  She  looked  abroad  at 
the  skies  before  her,  being  temporarily  relieved  of  her  un- 
pleasant nervous  headache.  She  say/  the  glorious  sun  in 
his  majesty ;  her  eyes  and  heart  ever  took  in  full  draughts 
of  all  the  beauty  in  nature's  changes  from  one  season  to 
another ;  and  although  something  was  before  her,  yet  no 
herald  from  either  world  harbingered  to  her  the  dreadful 
volcano  over  which  she  was  walking,  or  the  powder-plot  that 
was  erelong  to  explode,  to  the  utter  demolition  of  every 
hope  of  peace  and  happiness  she  could  ever  have  anticipated 
in  the  married  life  again  with  Smith. 

The  weather,  as  before  said,  being  very  cold  for  October, 
her  feet  became  constantly  very  cold  as  soon  as  she  was 
away  from  the  fire ;  consequently,  she  frequently  returned 
to  the  tent,  sometimes  before  the  sermon  was  ended,  after 
going  to  the  stand  for  divine  service.  She  dreaded  a  return 
of  her  miserable  nervous  headaches  to  which  she  was  so 
subject,  and  in  truth,  in  justice  to  her  own  self-preserva- 
tion and  to  hei*  situation,  would  have  been  infinitely  better 
off  at  home.  So  much  for  obliging  others  at  our  own  ex- 
pense. 

A  camp-ground,  where  God's  people  meet  once  a  year  for 
worship,  was  indeed  no  objectionable  place  to  this  young 
Methodist  lady,  and  such  a  thing  as  leaving  the  stand  was 
never  thought  of  by  her  before  till  the  very  last  were  dis- 
persing, nor  would  have  been  thought  of,  much  less  carried 
into  execution,  if  her  sufierings  had  not  rendered  it  abso- 
lutely necessary.  To  this  all  people  who  knew  her,  and  of 
her  regular  and  faithful  attendance  on  divine  service,  would 
bear  witness.  Smith  almost  invariably  followed  her  to  the 
tent,  of  which  circumstance  she  thought  nothing  at  all  at 
the  time,  except  that  he  wished  to  be  with  her.  Years 
after,  when  she  became  familiar  with  his  looks  and  ways, 
she  knew  and  understood  what  his  designs  were  —  he  was 


72 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


was  watching !  And,  O  God,  what  did  he  have  to  watch  ? 
A  poor,  innocent-minded  woman,  who  was  as  pure  as  the 
angels  of  God,  so  far  as  carnal  corruption  was  concerned, 
and  as  chaste,  even  in  thought,  as  the  virgin  snow.  We 
now  wish  we  had  all  tJiese  libidinous,  zealous  sinners  at  our 
command. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  GPvEEN-EYED  MONSTEK. 

ON  the  Sabbath  afternoon  of  the  meeting,  Grace  met  with 
a  dear,  lovely  old  acquaintance  —  one  who  had  known 
her  from  her  childhood  up.  She  walked  with  her  from  the 
stand  to  the  tent  where  the  lady  was  staying,  but  tarried 
only  a  little  while,  and  then  came  to  the  tent  where  she 
abode.  Her  husband,  with  many  others,  was  sitting  on  the 
outside  of  the  front  of  the  tent.  Grace  took  a  seat  near 
him.  Evans  and  his  friend  were  not  present.  At  night, 
after  every  precaution  used  by  her,  she  was  attacked  by  a 
nervous  headache  again,  and  in  consequence  did  not  go  to 
the  stand  at  all  this  time  for  preaching,  but  sat  near  the  fire 
outside  the  tent,  with  her  head  reposing  on  her  husband's 
knee.  When  the  hour  for  retirement  arrived,  she  requested 
her  relation  to  make  an  exception  in  the  order  of  her 
arrangements,  and  let  her  husband  remain  with  her ;  and 
her  relation  complied  kindly  with  her  request,  for  being 
very  much  crowded,  she  had  lodged  all  her  feminine  friends 
together,  and  the  males  the  same  way.  Mrs.  Smith  wished 
her  husband  with  her,  because  she  was  always  happier  when 
he  was  with  her,  especially  when  she  was  suffering. 

The  next  morning  being  Monday,  they  were  to  return 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


73 


home,  and  leave  the  children  behind  with  their  aunt.  This 
was  both  ungenerous  and  unkind,  as  the  poor  wife  had  just 
recovered  a  little  from  the  fatigue  of  going ;  and  now,  after 
her  headache  had  somewhat  abated,  she  would  have  been  in 
a  good  way  to  hear  preaching.  She  must  now  break  off,  as 
in  the  midst  of  a  good  feast  to  a  hungry  person.  But  she 
said  not  a  word  of  objection  to  it.  In  the  meantime,  an- 
other old  friend  and  female  acquaintance  of  hers  met  with 
Smith,  and  told  him  he  must  bring  Grace  around  to  see  her 
before  they  left.  He  complied  without  any  request  at  all 
on  Mrs.  Smith's  part,  and  called  on  her  old  friend.  By  the 
time  this  call  was  ended,  the  trumpet  sounded  for  the  eleven 
o'clock  service.  Smith  again,  of  his  own  accord,  said  they 
could  remain  until  that  sermon  was  over,  and  then  reach 
their  home  in  good  time  in  the  afternoon.  They  remained. 
It  was  one  of  those  powerful  sermons  which  we  sometimes 
hear,  that  tell  to  all  the  glorious  news  of  salvation  in  the 
most  pleasing  and  acceptable  manner  —  one  that  Mrs.  Smith 
enjoyed  very  much.  It  was  delivered  by  that  excellent 
man,  C  N  ,  since  gone  to  glory,  who  so  much  re- 
minded her  of  the  fathers  of  the  gospel,  under  the  sound  of 
whose  gracious  voice  she  had  been  reared. 

When  they  returned  to  the  tent,  Smith  was  eager  to  be 

going  home.    But  Mrs.  C  ,  his  sister-in-law,  said  they 

should  not  leave  until  they  had  eaten  dinner.  And  thus, 
while  she  was  busy  in  preparation,  Mrs.  Smith  had,  on  en- 
tering the  tent,  taken  a  seat  near  the  door.  Evans's  friend 
came  in,  and  standing  near  her,  in  his  usual  low,  soft  tones 
was  speaking  of  the  sermon,  and  praising  it.  But  Grace, 
as  she  often  did,  when  getting  her  spirits  deeply  imbued 
with  the  love  and  grace  of  God,  after  sitting  under  the 
droppings  of  the  sanctuary,  scarcely  spoke  a  word,  but  now 
and  then  gave  her  assent  to  some  of  his  eulogies  on  the  ser- 
mon, and  would  greatly  have  preferred  to  be  left  alone,  and 
7 


74  BREAD  OF  HEAVEJT^ 

to  sit  quietly  musing  on  the  sermon,  than  to  speak  a  single 
word.  But  she  could  not,  without  manifest  impoliteness,  tell 
him  not  to  talk,  or  get  up  and  go  oif,  leaving  him  talking. 
She  saw  her  husband  pass,  to  and  fro  by  her  several 
times  through  the  tent,  as  though  he  was  in  a  perturbed 
state  of  rnind ;  but  she  thought  he  was  only  in  a  hurry  about 
getting  off  home.  Having  never  seen  him  in  any  of  his 
moods,  she  understood  him  not,  and  took  no  further  notice 
of  them.  But,  O  Lord  God  of  mercy,  in  after  days  she 
knew  what  these  moods  meant.  It  meant  that  the  fires  of 
Gehenna  were  burning  in  his  unholy  soul ;  and  for  the  tem- 
porary restraint,  and  opposition  to  his  leechful  ways  of 
having  stayed  at  home,  as  was  his  wish,  there  was  a  twofold 
volcano  foaming  up  within,  ready  to  burst  on  some  devoted 
victim's  head.  Many  years  after,  she  could  see  the  venom 
leering  out  of  the  eyes  of  this  green-headed  monster,  in  retro- 
spect, and  wonder  that  she  had  not  been  devoured  by  it. 
She  was  the  victim ;  but,  like  all  cowards,  he  bided  his  time. 

At  the  dinner-table,  Evans  carved  the  turkey,  and  said 
to  Mrs.  Smith,  first  of  all,  "  Cousin  Grace,  will  you  be  helped 
to  some  of  the  turkey  ?  "  Gracious  mercy  and  wonderful 
heavens,  what  did  hinder  the  monster  then  from  leaping 
upon  all,  and  especially  his  all  -  unconscious  victim,  and 
devouring  them  ?  Ah,  no !  bide  your  time,  Mr.  Greeny ; 
too  many  people  will  see  you  here,  and  then  those  whose 
happiness  and  opinions  you  have  so  lately  set  at  naught 
will  be  astonished ;  and  even  her  enemies,  if  she  has  any 
besides  your  allies,  will  see  clearly  your  very  culpable  con- 
duct. But  Mrs.  Smith  was  as  yet  as  unconscious  of  this  state 
of  mind  of  her  so  late  overweening  and  flattering  lord  as 
the  unborn  infant.  God  pity  the  woman  the  wife  of  a 
jealous  man !  for  of  all  miserable  situations  on  earth  this 
side  of  pandemonium,  it  is  one  the  most  so !  While  Smith 
was  getting  the  carriage  in  readiness,  her  friends  from  the 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWISB. 


75 


next  adjoining  tent  sent  for  her  —  her  feminine  jrie-ads, 
and  she  ran  to  bid  them  good-bye ;  for  Mrs.  Smith  was  a 
woman  much  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her  best.  "^^Iiile 
she  was  in  that  tent,  she  met  with  the  preacher,  the  Rev.^Ir. 

C-  H  ,  who  had  preached  the  good  sermon  in  the 

morning, 

"Sister  Smith,"  said  he,  ''you  will  be  fine,  married  or  un- 
married." For  he  had  seen  her  at  another  camp-meeting, 
in  another  county,  before  her  marriage.  She  replied  to 
him : 

"  ^Vhy,  what  is  wrong  in  my  dre-ss,  Brother  H  ?  " 

^'  Oh,"  said  he,  "  you  will  do  very  well,  if  you  will  take 
off  that  veil  and  those  curls?" 

And  further,  he  said,  "  I  wish  some  of  our  good  Method- 
ist married  sisters  to  set  an  example  in  this  matter,  and  why 
not  you  ? " 

What  would  some  of  our  Methodist  sisters  say  to  this  in 
these  days  ?  And  why  not  she,  indeed,  who  was  generally 
as  plainly  dressed  as  possible  ?  But  there  is  an  elegance 
about  some  people's  dre,ss,  plain  or  not  plain,  that  attracts 
the  notice  of  the  fastidiously  plain. 

Grace  then  bade  them  all  a  hasty  good-bye,  and  ran  to 
the  other  tent  (  which  was  only  a  step  or  two)  to  do  the 
same  there,  and  then  looked  around  for  her  husband,  whom 
she  expected  was  by  this  time  waiting  for  her.  But  behold, 
he  was  some  distance  from  the  tent,  standing  at  the  carriage, 
as  if  he  were  in  the  act  of  starting  off,  instead  of  coming  for 
her.  "Wonder  if  he  would  have  acted  in  this  manner  the 
day  he  was,  as  it  were,  stealing  to  town,  with  the  ostensible 
excuse  to  his  children  that  he  was  going  to  get  his  carriage 
mended?  She  hurried  to  him  unattended,  feeling  more 
awkwardly  than  she  ever  did  in  her  life  before.  For  an 
elegant  woman  like  she  was  then,  with  many  gallant  ad- 
mirers before  her  marriage,  had  never  had  the  mortification 


76 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


of  walking  that  distancey  before  a  gazing  crowd,  unattended  , 
as  if  she  had  to  go  for  attention,  instead  of  attention  coming 
to  her.  He  looked  so  strangely  on  her  reaching  the  car- 
riage that  she  did  not  understand  it  at  all.  She  was  yet  alto- 
gether ignorant  of  the  green-eyed  demon  swelling  up  in  his 
unholy  breast !  Wonder  what  bystanders  thought  of  his 
inattention  to  his  new  wife  —  he  who  had  been  so  obse- 
quiously attentive  to  her  in  obtaining  her.  But  as  we  never 
heard,  we  cannot  tell  their  thoughts,  for  none  in  all  that 
section  of  country  ever  heard  of  his  jealous  fit  but  his  poor 
wife ;  and  if  his  first  wife's  relations  thought  anything  about 
his  appearance  on  this  occasion,  they  kept  their  thoughts 
within  themselves.  They  set  off  together  —  the  vulture  and 
the  lamb.  But  there  was  again  an  indefinable  feeling  about 
this  good  woman's  heart,  who  would  not  have  done  harm 
to  any,  nor  anything  wrong  on  earth,  if  she  knew  it.  She 
simply  thought  him  displeased  about  something,  but  what 
that  something  was  she  knew  not.  And  as  she  had  never 
displeased  him  that  she  knew  of,  she  could  not  think  it  was 
with  her  he  was  angry.  He  commenced  talking ;  and  she 
thought  she  would  say  something  cheerily  to  appease  him, 
if  he  were  angry ;  nor  did  she  think  it  prudent  to  notice 
this  piece  of  neglect,  as  it  was  the  first,  except  not  going 
with  her  to  church  soon  after  they  were  married. 

Little  did  the  poor  woman  dream  that  her  sun  of  matri- 
monial happiness  was  to  set  so  soon  in  obscurity  and  total 
darkness  forever !  Oh,  never,  never  can  she,  to  her  latest 
day,  forget  the  anguish  caused  her  then  by  words  which  fell 
from  his  unhallowed  and  unjust  lips !  He  gave  her  to 
understand  he  was  jealous  of  her  cousin  Evans,  and  did  not 
like  his  friend  talking  with  her !  Such  doings  in  civilized 
life !  How  utterly  unworthy  he  here  proved  himself  to  be 
of  such  a  woman  for  a  wife !  A  thing  is  either  just  or  un- 
just.   If  there  had  been  the  least  cause  for  all  this,  save  in 


AND    HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


77 


Ms  o-^n  distorted  mind,  then  there  might  have  been  some 
palliation.  But  there  was  not  the  shadow  of  a  cause  —  even, 
her  enemies,  if  she  then  had  a.nY,  being  judges.  A  woman 
must  not  look  nor  crook  her  finger  with  some.  But  she 
had  not  even  looked,  nor  turned  her  finger,  towards  a  single 
one  of  the  whole  male  world  after  their  marriage ;  and  he 
Jcnev:  he  married  a  woman  chaste  as  the  virgin  snow.  And 
we  do  declare,  when  we  think  of  this  monstrous  wrong,  and 
subsequent  ones,  (for  the  end  is  not  yet,;  we  cannot  forbear 
forever  hating  the  memory  of  his  foul  deeds  I  O  ye  honored, 
and  lovely,  and  beloved  wives,  without  jealousy  mixed  up 
with  it  all,  think  of  this  I  This  tender-hearted  woman, 
whose  sensitive  soul  was  quick,  as  the  apple  of  an  eye,  the 
fir-t  approach  of  sin  or  sorrow  to  leel,  what  must  have 
been  her  anguish  ?  All  her  life  she  had  wished,  whenever 
she  shotild  enter  the  matrimonial  state,  for  such  happiness 
as  she  was  capable  of  enjoying.  Xow  she  had  staked  all ; 
the  die  was  cast,  and  behold  this  was  the  fate  I 

Sometimes  we  have  wi.-hed  that  she  had  sufiered  him  to 
have  gone  ofi'  without  her,  as  he  did  not  have  politeness 
enough  to  return  lor  her.  and  behold  what  capers  he  would 
have  cut,  in  what  manner  he  would  have  disgorged  his 
jealousies.  Wonder  if  he  would  have  avowed  them  openly? 
Fur  that  he  never  did.  2N  o  ;  it  was  in  the  secret  chamber 
her  ear  alone  and  the  surrounding  breezes  must  hear  his 
eloquence  in  this  great  divulgement.  Lov:,  grovelling,  sen- 
sual as  the  flesh  and  Satan  could  make  him,  how  could  he 
judge  of  others  only  by  his  own  heart  —  his  filthy  heart. 

His  innocent  wife  had  heard,  after  their  marriage,  foul 
things  of  him  and  his  servants.  And  did  she  make  a  gain 
of  them  ?  Xo,  she  heeded  them  not,  nor  would  hardly  have 
believed  it  unless  she  had  seen  it,  but,  in  truth,  thought  it 
almost  contamination  for  any  one  to  hint  such  a  thing  to 
her,  and  so  away  with  it  1    But  oh,  the  death  that  came 


78 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


over  her  heart's  best  affections,  as  those  witheririg,  unjust 
words  came  out  of  his  mouth !  She  was,  as  it  were,  stunned 
to  death ;  and  if  it  had  been  possible  for  her  to  have  died  a 
thousand  deaths,  none  could  have  affected  her  as  this  sad 
case  did.  Here  was  the  blight  of  all  her  earthly  happi- 
ness !  Her  dear  mother  was  more  than  a  hundred  miles  off ; 
none  of  her  sisters  were  near ;  among  comparative  strangers  ; 
and  although  many  professed  much  friendship,  yet  such  is 
the  delicacy  of  even  legitimate  feelings  in  the  true  woman's 
breast,  the  truly  sensitive  and  refined  and  educated  seldom 
telj  aught  of  their  sorrows  from  home.  Such,  also,  is  the 
nature  of  earthly  friendship,  that  one  hardly  arrives  at  the 
age  of  twenty  before  he  or  she  fears  to  lay  open  the  most 
sacred  feelings  of  the  heart,  lest  he  or  she  might,  instead 
of  sympathy,  meet  a  stab,  a  fresh  wound ;  and  there  is  little 
reliance  to  be  placed  in  them  in  a  day  of  trouble.  Had  the 
world  heard  it  from  her  mouth,  friends  would  have  pitied, 
and  enemies,  if  she  then  had  any,  would  have  rejoiced.  Here 
v/as  a  case  in  which  none  could  help.  Even  legitimate 
feelings  in  her  breast  were  too  sacred  in  her  estimation  for 
disclosure.  Thus,  like  her  divine  Master,  this  was  one  cup 
she  must  drink  alone.  This  wine-press  she  must  tread  alone ; 
of  all  the  people  there  cotdd  be  none  with  her  in  this  case. 
She  had  married  a  husband,  and  she  intended  to  love  him, 
and  be  entirely  devoted  to  him.  But  now  the  very  foun- 
tain of  her  tears  was  stanched.  Delirium  for  a  while 
seized  her ;  her  head  swam,  her  brain  grew  dizzy ;  and  we 
wonder  now,  considering  her  extreme  tenderness  of  heart 
and  exquisite  sensibility,  she  had  not  jumped  out  of  the 
carriage  from  her  inhuman  -  persecutor,  and  ran  from  him 
a  wild  and  raving  maniac !  Though  rave  she  hardly  ever 
would  have  done.  She  would  sooner  have  died  in  mute 
sorrow.  For  she  had  thought  all  her  life,  whenever  the 
subject  of  jealousy  was  discussed  in  her  hearing^'  that  she 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


79 


never  would  live  with  a  man  wlio  was  jealous.  Of  which 
matter  she  knew  nothing. 

But  now  behold  her  helpless  situation,  of  which  her  cruel, 
inhuman,  perjured  protector  was  well  aware ;  and  hence  he 
assaulted  her,  as  he  thought,  with  impunity.  He,  her  law- 
ful husband  and  protector,  had  expressed  himself  as  being 
jealous  of  her.  To,  whom  could  she  appeal  ?  She  never 
could  be  happy  with  him  again.  He  had  sent  a  canker  to 
her  heart  that  would  eat  out  all  truly  conjugal,  confiding 
love  from  her  soul ;  for  love  for  love,  confidence  for  confi- 
dence, and  trust  for  trust,  were  her  maxims.  And  such 
they  ought  to  be  forever ;  for  how  can  love,  the  divine 
sentiment,  exist  without  mutual  confidence.  But  that  baser 
sort  of  love  some  men  have  was  the  kind  he  seemed  to  pos- 
sess. He  would  abuse  and  threaten  her  one  moment,  and 
the  next  cajole  and  caress.  But  not  so  with  his  noble- 
minded  wife.  Had  there  been  the  slightest  cause  for  it,  she 
might  have  borne  it.  Is  ow,  she  never  could  be  happy  with 
him  again.  She  was  too  high-minded  to  feel  on  equality 
with  such  sordid  doings,  such  desecration  of  all  the  most 
holy  affections  of  the  heart.  Kor  was  she  ever  entirely 
happy  with  him  again.  Duriug  the  space  of  fifteen  or  six- 
teen long  and  weary  years  that  she  dwelt  with  him,  she 
never  beheld  him  but  that  she  thought  of  that  awful 
cruelty,  and  many  other  unpardonable  things  he  did  after- 
wards. And  we  have  often  thought,  in  view  of  all  she  suf- 
fered in  after  days,  whether  it  would  not  have  been  better 
for  her  if  she  had,  then  and  there,  left  him  for  ever! 

"  Ah !  "  says  one,  —  an  inhuman  one,  doubtless,  —  "  Gan 
a  man  ever  do  anything  to  a  wife  that  is  unpardonable  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  so,  good  sir,  whoever  you  are.  You  think 
if  he  were  to  cut  her  head  off*,  or  cut  her  throat,  he  may  be 
pardoned.  But  how  would  you  like  it,  vice  versa  f  You 
would  be  for  hanging  her,  no  doubt.    Well,  this  unnatural 


80 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


quarrel  between  you  and  your  wives  will  be  settled  some 
day.  The  good  Lord  expressly  tells  you  to  love  your  wives, 
and  be  not  bitter  against  them.  And  it  does  not  say  with- 
out cause,  either,  or  with  cause.  Many  of  you  can  be  bit- 
terer than  the  wormwood  and  gall,  with  no  cause  under 
heaven  but  your  own  evil  hearts." 

We  are  sure  that  not  a  single  person  at  that  fatal  camp- 
meeting  who  did  at  all  take  cognizance  of  her  behavior,  how- 
ever envious,  but  would  have  borne  testimony  to  her  prudent 
conduct.  And  it  does  seem  to  us  that  none  but  a  most 
reckless  madman,  the  most  debased  wretch,  would  even  have 
thought  anything  amiss,  much  less  said  anything  on  such  an 
awful  subject ;  for  we  hold  it  good,  that  we  are  not  always 
justifiable  in  speaking  all  thoughts  that  may  present  them- 
selves, unless  pure  thoughts,  lest  we  err,  and  thus  wrong 
some  one,  as  was  done  now.  An  irreparable  and  never- 
ending  wrong  in  this  world  was  inflicted  on  that  confiding 
young  spirit  without  the  shadow  of  a  cause  other  than  a 
vicious  heart  and  an  evil  eye, — one  that  imagined  it  saw  evil 
in  everything ;  and  this  one  her  husband,  for  whom  she  had 
so  lately  forsaken  all,  and  to  whom  she  had  clung,  before 
thisjwith  the  tenacity  of  life.  But  she  was  murdered  now, 
— almost  literally  butchered.  And  if  she  never  could  love 
him  as  before,  no  one  was  to  blame  but  himself.  She  had  no 
worthy  object  now  to  love,  and  therefore  she  could  not  love 
him  as  she  had  done ;  hence  she  scorned  the  idea  of  love 
altogether.  And  as  to  loving  another  while  united  to  him, 
the  very  thought  would  have  been  treason  in  her  view. 

Perhaps  some  one  will  say  this  came  of  marrying  one  so 
much  older  than  herself  Not  so  fast,  our  dear  caviller. 
We  have  seen  a  young  man,  not  twenty,  (his  lovely  bride 
not  eighteen,)  get  into  such  awful  fits  of  madness  also, 
without  cause,  at  "trifles  light  as  air."  It  may  b.e  a  spark 
of  the  ever-burning  fires  of  jealousy  was  at  the  bottom  of  his 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


81 


heart ;  for  this  fair  young  bride  loved  lier  young  husband 
with  all  the  tenacity  of  a  devotion  that  ought  to  have 
been  bestowed  upon  her  Maker  alone.  An  old  graudsire 
used  to  say,  "  Can't  learn  old  dogs  new  tricks ; "  but  this 
young  one  seemed  to  have  had  all  the  elements  of  the  young 
and  old  cur  in  snarling  and  snapping,  and  the  double  of  the 
obstinate  mule  and  sulky  old  oxen,  even  at  that  tender  age. 
What  do  you  think  of  that?  No  rule  without  exceptions, 
say  you.  And  we  do  declare  that  one  of  the  happiest  mar- 
riages we  ever  saw,  was  where  the  man  Avas  the  senior  of  the 
woman  by  twenty  years.  But  he  was  a  man,  —  the  noblest 
work  of  God.  He  was  all  that  his  Maker  intended  him  to 
be  in  that  relation,  at  least — a  gentleman,  and  a  good  hus- 
band. And  the  lady  a  good  woman,  an  excellent  woman,  but 
no  better  than  our  heroine  of  these  pages.  Moreover,  the 
father  of  our  own  great  Washington  was  twenty-four  years 
older  than  his  beautiful  young  wife,  the  mother  of  our  im- 
mortal father  of  his  country,  who  was  only  sixteen  when 
she  married  the  elder  Washington  at  forty-four  years  of 
age.  Perhaps  none  will  dispute  this  historical  fact.  Con- 
geniality, then,  is  the  basis  of  true  and  lasting  friendship. 
Besides,  wbat  would  that  old  gentleman  of  the  old  school  . 
have  thought  of  himself,  if  he  had  thrown  himself  into  a 
fit  of  madness  because  some  other  gentleman  or  gentlemen 
spoke  to  his  beautiful  wife?  What  would  others  have 
thought  of  him  ? 

Perhaps  you  will  say  we  were  not  there  to  see.  We  grant 
that.  Neither  saw  any  how  Mr.  Napoleon  Smith  acted  towards 
his  beautiful  wife.  And  we  do  claim  for  her,  Mrs.  Grace 
Smith,  that  she  had  the  elements  of  as  great  a  character,  as 
good  a  woman,  as  Mrs.  Washington  the  elder,  Mrs.  George 
Washington,  Queen  Victoria,  or  any  other  lady  who  ever  ' 
inhabited  this  world  on  either  side  of  the  "  deep  blue  sea." 
Besides,  if  Mr.  Washington  had  been  such  an  imbecile,  his- 


82 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


tory  would  have  handed  down  the  offensive  story  to  us. 
Albeit,  he  would  have  published  it  himself,  if  he  could 
have  got  no  one  else  to  have  done  it.  He  would  have 
divulged  it  by  some  of  his  wild  freaks,  which  would  have 
been  too  good  for  the  "  reporters  "  to  have  passed. 

But  if  too  much  of  a  bad  thing  will  not  nauseate,  there 
is  in  our  memory  a  tale  of  this  kind,  which  we  heard  some 
of  the  best  of  our  sex  tell  our  mothers  in  days  past,  one 
whose  beautiful  aunt  was  married  to  a  brute  of  this  kind. 
He  never  would  allow  his  wife  to  attend  to  any  domestic 
duty  whatever  —  not  even  attend  to  the  kitchen  by  over- 
looking the  servants,  nor  even  let  the  sun  shine  on  her,  thus 
enhancing  her  fair  beauty.  And  if  by  any  means,  veiled 
and  shrouded  from  the  sun,  he  walked  out  with  her,  any 
gentleman  happened  to  be  walking  on  the  side  next  to  his 
wife,  he  would  immediately  wheel  her  to  the  opposite  side. 
He  never  allowed  her  either  to  see  or  speak  to  a  gentleman ; 
till  finally,  one  day,  he  took  his  gun  and  deliberately  lev- 
elled it  at  his  wife.  It  went  off,  and  she  fell ;  and  then  he 
fired  on  himself,  which  last  shot  was  better  directed  than 
the  other.  He  was  kil  led — killed  himself ;  but,  fortunately, 
the  ball,  the  other  ball,  had  missed  his  wife.  She  was  not 
killed !  And  we  were  glad  in  our  own  hearts  that  his  poor 
victim  did  not  share  his  terrible  fate. 

Another  case  of  later  date  came  to  our  ears,  one  day, 
not  a  great  while  ago.  A  jealous  man  asked  his  wife  to 
walk  out  with  him.  He  took  her  a  long  distance  into  a 
solitary  wood,  where  mortal  ear  could  not  hear,  and  where 
he  had  already  dug  a  grave.  He  told  his  wife  he  was  going 
to  kill  her.  Her  entreaties  for  life  were  in  vain,  as  she  was 
out  of  the  reach  of  human  voice  or  sound.  He  killed  the 
poor  woman  in  cold  blood,  and  buried  her,  because  he  was 
jealous  of  her !  And  then,  behold  !  after  her  life  was  taken, 
and  he  never  could  restore  it,  he  discovered  his  jealousies 
were  all  without  cause ! 


AXD  HUSKS 


OF  SWIXE. 


83 


If  our  readers  could  bear  another  case,  there  is  one  in  our 
memory,  perhaps  more  appalling  than  all.  In  one  of  our 
beloved  States,  one  in  T^-hich  ^ye  ^vere  reared  and  educated, 
there  lived  a  prominent  man,  v\]io  in  his  youth  vras  thought 
one  of  the  steadiest  and  best  young  men  of  all  that  section. 
Subsequently  he  married  a  beautiful  woman.  For  some 
reason,  he  became  jealous,  with  or  without  cause  we  know 
not ;  but  we  have  been  told  it  was  without  cause  or  provo- 
cation on  her  part.  One  night,  while  she  was  asleep  in 
quiet,  her  infant  babe  reposing  on  her  arm,  he  arose  from 
the  bed  whereon  these  innocent  and  helpless  ones  all  uncon- 
sciously lay,  charged  his  weapon,  whatever  it  was,  and  de- 
liberately shot  his  beautiful  wife,  who  was  found  next  morn- 
ing with  the  smiling  babe  all  immersed  in  its  mother's 
blood.  Does  this  fill  the  picture,  or  shall  we  bring  forward 
any  more  of  these  horrid  details  ?  Let  this  suffice  for  the 
present.  And  these  are  adduced  to  prove  to  our  kind 
readers,  if  proof  were  needed,  that  when  jealousy  takes 
possession  of  a  man's  heart,  it  is  worse  than  the  "legion" 
that  possessed  the  man  among  the  tombs. 

But  to  return  to  our  main  story.  Yes,  Mrs.  Smith  would 
have  thought  it  higii  treason  indeed,  after  all  this  cruelty 
on  Smith's  part,  to  have  even  thought  of  another/  But  who 
appreciates  this  exalted  view  of  conjugal  love?  After  she 
began  to  recover  from  the  giddiness  and  whirl  of  her  brain, 
she  spoke  mildly  to  him,  for  anger  could  not  rise  in  her 
bosom.  She  was  too  near  dead  for  that.  "  Let  me  alone,"  said 
he,  "  I  will  strike  you  with  the  butt  of  the  whip  ! "  Wretch  ! 
you  grasped  the  object  you  said  you  so  much  loved,  and 
called  beautiful,  through  chicanery,  subtlety,  and  design,  for 
fear,  it  seems,  that  some  other  might  get  her,  and  then  retorted 
on  her  in  this  manner.  "  X o  wonder  the  children  may  have 
something  against  you  I  "  AYhy  did  you  not  find  that  out 
before,  Mr.  Smith  ?  for  we  vow  before  the  Almighty,  to 


84 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


whom  all  hearts  are  open,  the  children  never  had,  never 
could  have,  the  least  idea  of  anything  wrong  in  her,  unless 
they,  in  their  selfishness,  blamed  her  for  marrying  him.  If 
she  had  opposed  him  in  some  of  his  lecherous  ways,  which 
were  as  revolting  to  her  nice  sense  and  modesty,  and  views 
of  how  parents  should  deport  themselves  before  their  chil- 
dren, there  might  have  been  some  developments  of  pande- 
monium before  she  went  to  that  camp-meeting ;  yes,  as 
revolting  to  her  high,  good  sense  of  propriety  as  Gehenna 
itself.  There  was  no  fault  on  her  part ;  and  all  the  holier, 
more  delicate  feelings  of  the  modest  and  refined  woman 
were  often  outraged  when  she  saw  his  rude,  unmannerly, 
and  unlady-like  children  peeping  and  peering  about  into 
chambers  when  their  parents  had  retired.  This  was  one 
picture,  very  delicately  and  partially  drawn,  of  their  beha- 
vior. The  true  picture,  in  all  its  colors  and  bearings,  would 
be  too  outrageous  to  be  drawn  on  any  paper  for  the  eye  of 
the  public. 

Great  God  !  Who  are  you,  thou  base  man,  "  for  to  the 
base  all  things  are  base,"  or  your  so  lately  despised  chil- 
dren, either  ?  You  are  not  fit  to  have  such  a  woman  in  your 
unholy  domains.  For  we  believe  in  our  soul,  that  thou, 
awful  man,  knewest  the  dispositions  of  your  children,  and 
that  they  would  raise  a  young  perdition,  if  you  married  any 
person.  Had  they  not  told  you  so  ?  and  was  not  this  the 
reason  you  entered  into  this  marriage  so  secretly  ?  For  had 
they  raised  the  hue  and  cry  just  one  minute  before,  you 
never,  never  would  have  had  it  in  your  power  to  have 
retorted  after  this  manner.  And  then,  too,  to  be  always 
pretendingly  angry  with  those  very  amiable  children,  be- 
cause they  did  not  immediately  acquiesce  in  what,  to  them, 
must  have  appeared  unjustifiable  secrecy  and  haste.  You 
should  have  set  them  a  better  example,  and  then  perhaps 
they  would  have  treated  you  with  filial  piety.    Out  upon 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


85 


you  for  a  craven,  that  could  not  bear  the  close  scrutiny  of 
the  eyes  of  children  who  ought  to  have  been  beloved  by  you. 
And  then  as  soon  as  it  was  convenient  to  your  jealous  mind 
— for  being  crossed  a  little  in  getting  you  from  home,  for  the 
sake  of  your  eldest  and  protendedly  much  beloved  daugh- 
ter—  you  could  imagine  a  dreadful  crime  against  your 
already  suffering  wife,  and  charge  it  to  her.  Xo  wonder 
there  was  a  great  revulsion  in  her  honest  bosom. 

Reader,  these  details  are  as  true  as  the  sun  ever  shone  in 
the  firmament  of  heaven !  And  we  are  very  much  of  the 
opinion,  that  had  the  wife  been  out  of  the  question,  and  he  had 
not  been  married,  if  he  could  have  been  induced  at  all,  not 
having  the  momentary  influence  of  a  new  wife,  to  go  to  that 
camp-meeting,  his  eldest  daughter  would  have  shared  his 
wrath.  Upon  her  devoted  head  would  have  fallen  in  full 
force  his  pent-up,  smothered  anger;  for  had  he  not  pursued 
this  course  in  his  former  wife's  lifetime?  The  old  domestics 
had  a  saying  behind  his  back,  that  "  Mistress  said,  when- 
ever Master  attended  a  camp-meeting,  or  had  much  com- 
pany for  meeting  occasions,  he  was  sure  to  set  the  planta- 
tion afire  afterwards."  The  temporary  suspension  from 
labor  by  the  servants  was  to  his  covetous  mind  so  much 
loss  of  this  World's  goods.  A  nice  way  to  convert  his  wife 
and  family !  No  wonder  he  induced  no  more  of  them  to 
follow  his  Christian  course.  Just  such  a  course  sent  a 
revulsion  into  her  true  soul  (this  present  wife)  as  wide 
apart  as  our  antipodes ;  for  was  he  not  the  antipodes  of  her 
soul?  How  then  could  they  walk  together  in  unison? 
Henceforth  their  bodies  were  together,  but  their  souls  as  far 
apart  as  one  pole  from  the  other.  His  daughter  might  not 
(in  case  he  had  not  had  in  possession  his  present  victim) 
have  felt  the  overwhelming  storm  of  his  jealousy,  for  none 
could  feel  that  but  a  wife ;  but  we  venture  the  assertion  that 
she  would  have  got  a  good  share  about  her  suitor,  whom  he 
8 


86 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


said  slie  wished  to  go  to  that  camp-meeting  to  see.  O  in- 
consistency and  imbecility  without  a  precedent !  "We  do 
believe  it  was  the  most  unjustifiable  lust  that  principally 
induced  him  to  contract  this  marriage,  his  great  praise  of 
her  beauty  and  competency  in  pleasing  him  "  in  all  things," 
to  the  contrary  notwithstanding.  But  now,  henceforth, 
there  was  a  great  desert ;  her  soul  in  holy  musings  tried  to 
dwell  in  thought  with  her  God,  and  let  him  grovel  on  about 
the  world.  Would  that  she  could  have  abstracted  her 
mind  more  from  all  things  here  below,  and  dwelt  alone  with 
God.  But  the  thing  was  morally  impossible,  situated  as 
she  was — surrounded  by  household  cares  and  duties,  and 
in  the  midst  of  children  and  servants.  None  of  the  duties 
belonging  to  either  did  she  neglect.  She  toiled  herself  to 
weariness  and  fatigue,  too  much  to  be  borne  by  one  so 
feeble,  as  she  did  before  that  camp-meeting.  In  less  than 
two  months  she  had  done  more  work  than  some  women 
would  have  performed  in  a  year,  fixing  and  preparing  his 
children's  clothes  when  he  was  asleep.  And  then  to  meet 
with  such  an  awful  return  from  him.  No  wonder  that  she 
did  now  wish  she  had  never  seen  him  or  his  children  either, 
rather  than  to  have  been  borne  down  upon  and  oppressed 
all  her  days.  ♦ 

She  did  not  go  after  him,  never  thought  of  such  a  thing 
until  wooed  by  him.  But  this  was  only  the  beginnings  of 
sorrow.  And  she  now  remembered  a  little .  circumstance 
which  took  place  shortly  after  they  were  married.  One 
morning,  while  lying  on  a  couch  in  the  dining-room,  being 
very  much  indisposed,  while  the  family  were  at  the  break- 
fast-table, the  eldest  son,  in  breaking  some  bread,  happened 
to  take  all  the  crust  oflT.  The  father  spoke  angrily,  and 
scolded  him  severely  for  so  trivial  a  thing,  as  if  it  had  been 
a  crime  instead  of  an  accident.  The  wdfe,  a  silent  looker 
on,  thought  within  herself,  "  Is  that  the  way  he  has  raised 


a>;d  husks  of  swixe. 


87 


his  son?  Is  that  the  way  he  talks  to  him  for  so  light  an 
offence  ?"  The  prospect  looked  unfavorable  in  the  distance, 
yet  not  more  so  than  true  in  the  sequel.  A  small  index, 
but  a  true  one,  to  worse  coming  events,  and  to  her  quiet, 
but  quick  forecast  into  the  distant  future  it  looked  gloomy, 
gloomy  —  ah!  indeed,  gloomy.  And  then  the  son  thought 
she  had  been  the  cause  of  it,  as  if  no  angry  words  ever 
passed  between  them  before.  And  v^  by  did  he  think  the 
wife  had  been  the  cause  of  it?  Because  he  had  committed 
a  wrong  to  her  himself,  and  therefore  thought  she  had  told 
his  father.  "Like  father,  like  son."  Guilty  consciences 
need  no  accusing.  A  true  proverb.  And  we  remember 
well  the  words  of  that  son  to  his  father's  wife.  One  day, 
previous  to  the  camp-meeting  so  frequently  alluded  to, 
something  else  occurred  similar  to  the  scene  at  the  table. 
She  was  vindicating  her  husband's  conduct  to  the  son,  or  at 
least  endeavoring  so  to  do,  as  she  thought  husband  and  wife 
ought  to  be  as  much  united  as  possible  in  their  family  gov- 
ernment. "Ah  I"  said  the  son,  "you  don't  know  Pa.  You 
will  find  him  out  after  awhile." 

After  awhile!  And  were  they  not  true  and  prophetic 
words  ?  Did  not  the  son  know  the  father  ?  And  can  we 
believe  the  father  knew  not  the  son?  How  many  acts  of 
rebellion  were  already  in  their  family  history's  page  before 
they  knew  there  was  such  a  creature  in  the  world  as  their 
father's  present  wife  ?  But  more  of  this  hereafter,  as  this 
book  is  to  be  exclusively  devoted  to  the  delineation  of  the 
jealous  man,  who  was  now  partaking  of  the  husks  of  the 
swine,  or,  more  properly,  the  ashes  of  the  apples  of  Sodom  — 
jealousy  in  secret,  in  word  and  deed ;  for  all  this  time  no 
one  knew  of  it  but  himself  and  his  victimized  wife. 

O  eternity!  eternity!  thy  duration  in  sorrow^  is  the  cause 
of  the  pangs  endured  by  the  sufferers  there  confined ! 

On  they  journey  from  that  memorable  camp-meeting,  the 


88 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


young  wife  swimming  in  woe.  They  arrive  at  home.  The 
sun  was  setting.  True  emblem  of  her  heart — her  happi- 
ness had  gone  down,  had  set,  too !  For,  oh  how  changed ! 
To  her  long  vision  it  was  but  the  prison-house  of  Tophet, 
which  it  in  reality  proved  almost  to  her.  All  nature  was 
turned  into  gloom,  as  it  hung  in  autumnal  brown  —  the 
brown,  the  scathe,  and  sear;  the  fall  and  winter  of  years 
was  on  her  heart.  And  she  grew  older  under  those  wither- 
ing influences  in  one  short  month  than  she  had  all  her  life 
before. 

In  the  yard,  as  they  alighted  from  the  carriage,  they  were 
met  by  an  old  domestic,  whom  Mrs.  Smith  had  no  particu- 
lar reason  to  think  was  her  friend ;  though  she  had,  when 
the  new  mistress  happened  to  please  her,  professed  to  be 
such.  Perhaps  Mrs.  Smith  expected  more  than  could  be 
realized  from  servants  who  had  been  managed  as  these  had; 
especially  this  old  servant.  She  never  had  been  accustomed 
to  servants  railing  out  at  their  owners.  This  went  far  to 
explain  her  views  about  this  old  negress.  But  now,  as  she 
turned  her  face  towards  this  old  servant,  she  burst  into  tears, 
the  first  she  had  shed  since  the  awful  disclosures  by  the 
way.  Nor  could  she  have  restrained  them  now,  if  her  life 
had  been  at  stake.  The  servant  knew  not  for  what  she 
wept ;  for  she  could  not  do  as  her  predecessor  had  done, 
make  these  old  servants  her  confidants.  She  thought  it 
treason  to  her  marriage  vows ;  and,  moreover,  since  the 
death  of  the  former  Mrs.  Smith,  she  found  they  had  not 
been  true  friends  to  her.  But  such  a  change  had  come  over 
her  heart  since  she  left  the  old  servant,  only  two  days,  that 
she  could  not  but  weep.  And  then  her  surcharged  heart 
was  a  little  relieved  of  its  weight.  The  flood-gates  were 
lifted  from  her  heart,  and  out  gushed  the  waters  from  her 
eyes  ;  before,  it  had  been  tearless  agony.  Now  Smith  was 
eating  the  husks  of  swine  in  all  its  satisfying,  appetizing 
plenitude.    At  night  he  persecuted  her  again,  and  said : 


ASD   HUSKS   OF  SWINE» 


89 


"  You  must  acknowledge  it." 

"Acknowledge  what,  Mr.  Smith?  Sir/'  said  she,  "tliat 
I  never,  never  will  do  !  How  can  I?  I  am  conscious  of  no 
■svrong  to  acknowledge.  Eternity  itself  shall  burst  upon 
me  in  all  its  truthful  glare,  and  I  shall  still  attest  my  inno- 
cence of  even  an  improper  thought,  much  less  action.  I 
think  it  just  as  criminal  to  tell  a  slanderous  lie  on  myself 
as  on  any  one  else.  And  you  niay  rest  assured,  sir,  that  I 
uill  not  utter  a  base  falsehood  on  myself,  or  on  any  one 
else." 

This  kind  of  resolute  language  rather  quelled  him,  as 
cowards  always  are  by  a  brave  course  of  conduct ;  for  what 
did  the  infatuated  and  imbecile  man  want  ?  To  extort  from 
her  some  acknowledgment,  some  whining,  crying,  and  run- 
ning after  him,  as  he  said  he  had  been  used  to  from  his  poor 
mfe  who  was  now  dead  and  buried.  For  he  had  told  his 
present  wife  that,  in  about  two  months  after  his  first  mar- 
riage, he  and  his  wife  had  attended  a  Methodist  prayer- 
meeting,  where  they  had  the  ceremony  of  baptism  performed 
—  that  is,  what  is  called  by  the  Baptists  sprinkling  of  chil- 
dren. His  wife  had  gotten  up,  tossed  her  head,  and  said, 
"That  was  no  baptism."'  Being  the  daughter  of  a  strenuous 
Baptist,  her  sectarianism  ran  higher  than  her  religion  or 
resj)ect  for  her  husband-.  But  he  said  that  he  had  asked 
her  before  they  were  married,  "If  she  had  any  objection  to 
his  being  a  Methodist,  and  she  had  replied  that  she  had 
none."'    This  was  hU  version  of  the  case. 

And  what  did  he  do  ?  Did  he  bear  t^ie  seeming  insult 
from  his  young  wife?  He  bear  insult?  Xo!  not  even  a 
seeming  one,  which  was,  in  fact,  more  the  prejudice  of 
education  than  anything  else.  But  hov:  did  he  bear  it? 
Like  a  passionate,  inconsiderate,  unreasonable  man  gen- 
erally does.  He  said  he  packed  up  his  clothes  in  his  saddle- 
bags, took  his  wife  to  her  father,  "  and  told  him,  for  God's 
8- 


90 


BEEAB  OF  HEAVEN 


sake,  to  raise  the  rest  of  his  children  in  credit."  And  so 
he  pretended  to  go  off  and  leave  his  wife,  who  was  some 
seven  years  younger  than  himself.  And  now  she  ran  after 
him,  wailed  and  cried  so  that  he  returned.  And  now  did 
he  look  for  a  similar  course  of  conduct  ?  If  he  did,  he  was 
mistaken.  This  wife  had  not  behaved  unseemly  to  him, 
and  nothing  short  of  the  deepest  reverence,  courtesy,  afia- 
bility,  and  deference  to  his  opinions  had  she  ever  extended 
towards  him.  Yea,  too  much  ;  for  in  carrying  out  his  pecu- 
liar views,  the  motives  for  which  were  not  always  apparent, 
in  the  hands  of  his  present  wife,  who  was  clear  and  almost 
transparent,  frank  and  open  to  a  fault,  the  mixture  made 
her  appear  a  different  being ;  and,  consequently,  she  could 
never  be  her  own  true  self  to  others,  if  they  were  objec- 
tionable to  him,  as  when  in  her  own  native  colors.  We 
knew  he  was  the  sole  aggressor  in  this  horrible  accusation. 
And  after  his  wife  told  him  she  never  would  make  any 
acknowledgment  of  what  was  so  utterly  false  with  regard 
to  herself,  he  changed  his  tactics  and  mode  of  attack; 
made  apologies,  talked  differently,  reasoned  with  himself, 
and  said  he  must  have  been  mistaken ;  and  now  held  out  a 
flag  of  truce.  He  said,  on  the  honor  of  a  gentleman,  he 
never  would  mention  the  subject  to  her  again.  Alas!  it 
was  too  late.  The  dreadful  seed  was  sown.  The  poor, 
true-hearted  wife  was  really  more  murdered  than  if  he 
had  cut  her  throat.  There  are  ills  in  this  life  worse  to  be 
borne  than  death.  "  It  is  not  all  of  death  to  die,"  truly. 
And  what  had  sh§  now  in  prospect?  The  scorching  desert 
of  Sahara  could  not  have  appeared  to  her  more  intolerable, 
more  burning  to  her  henceforth  weary  feet.  Where  was  an 
oasis  ?  None  in  that  family.  A  threefold  enemy  was  there. 
-  And  she  was  one  —  alone,  alone.  For  if  she  had  been  in 
gilded  halls,  she  would  have  been  as  a  glittering  wretch. 
No  such  grandeur  was  there.  But,  instead,  many  cares  and 


4 


AKD   HUSKS   OF   STVIXE.  91 

burdens,  and  mucli  work  to  do  for  such  a  household.  And 
if  she  had  had  the  love,  the  confidence  of  her  liusband,  all 
would  have  been  but  light  tasks.  But  no  matter  which 
way  she  lifted  her  weary  eyes,  there  was  sorrow,  and  all  the 
more  weighty  because  she  mud  bear  it  alone.  To  whom 
could  she  reveal  the  sorrows  of  the  mind.  Young  reader, 
dear  young  lady  reader,  to  you  our  heart  goes  out  in 
deepest,  purest  sympathy,  for  upon  your  devoted  heads  is 
sorrow  like  this  apt  ever  to  fall !  Beware,  then,  how  you 
contract  an  .unsuitable  marriage.  V^ere  the  man  old  as 
Methuselah,  and  the  right  sort  of  a  man  —  a  gentleman,  one 
whose  tastes  are  congenial  to  your  own,  one  that  would  not 
exact  all  from  you,  and  perform  none  himself — he  is  the 
man,  young  or  old.  And  if  he  come  not  early,  wait  for 
him.  "If  the  vision  tarry,  wait  for  it."  And  if  it  never 
come,  7iever  marry.  Better,  ten  thousand  times,  to  pass  your 
time  alone  in  this  world,  than  to  join  yourself  to  some  un- 
suitable man,  and  have  to  pass  your  poor  soul  in  solitary 
thoughts  and  aspirations,  to  which  lie  has  no  affinity  nor 
desire  to  asj^ire  to.  Once  for  all,  an  unsuitable  marriage, 
in  all  its  bearings,  is  one  that  should  be  deplored  and  pre- 
vented, if  possible,  by  all. 

In  all  this  sad  state,  from  whence  did  Grace  get  comfort  ? 
By  looking  above,  whence  comes  all  our  help. 

"  Oh,  "who  could  bear  hfe's  stormy  doom, 
Did  not  Thy  Word  of  Love 
i  Come  brightly  bearmg  through  the  gloom 

A  palm-branch  from  above  ? 

"Then  sorrow  touch'd  by  grace  grows  bright 

With  more  than  rapture's  ray ; 
Aa  darkness  shows  us  worlds  of  light 
"NYe  never  saw  by  day  I 

The  next  day  found  Mrs.  Smith  prostrated  by  a  nervous 
fever.    Her  situation  was  deeply  deplorable.    It  was  one 


92 


BEEAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


wliich  all  men,  but  savages  and  brute-like  men,  regard  witli 
pity  and  interest,  being  one  that  most  men  delight  for  their 
wives  to  be  in.  Her  fatigue  and  very  great  excitement  had 
done  sad  work.  Though  apparently  calm  as  a  summer's 
eve,  and  self-possessed,  yet  the  inward  work  was  done.  Her 
overwrought  energies  were  unstrung  and  unnerved.  She 
had  not  power  even  to  raise  her  head  in  bed.  And  we  be- 
lieve he  was  alarmed,  and  thought  that  he  had  killed  her 
by  his  cruel  words,  which  was  in  fact  very  nearly  the  truth. 
But  no  one  on  earth  besides  themselves  knew  of  the  conflict 
raging  within. 


CHAPTER  V. 

BIRTH  AND  DEATH  OF  GKACe's  FIRST  CHILD. 

OH,  spirit  of  the  past,  where  art  thou  ?    Ye  ghosts  of 
former  times!    Many  visions  are  on  the  mind,  that 
come  trooping  as  birds  to  their  nests." 

There  is  a  sadness  brooding  over  everything  this  after- 
noon, and  my  spirits  seem  to  sympathize  with  the  out-door 
state  of  things.  What  would  I  not  give  if  I  could  but 
catch  a  glimpse  of  the  end  of  this  life  ?  Sometimes  I  am 
foolish  enough  to  imagine  a  happy  future  —  an  infinity  of 
golden  meadows  and  rippling,  laughing  waters,  and  fra- 
grant, spicy  breath  of  blossoms  filling  the  air,  and  my  feet, 
that  have  been  so  wayward  and  wandering,  walking  at 
peace  among  these  delights.  But  how  insane  the  thought ! 
Did  I  not  choose  my  own  path  years  ago,  and  now  shall  I 
sit  down  and  sigh  for  the  broken  dreams  and  unfulfilled 
hopes  of  a  day  gone  by  ? 

It  is  sunset  now  —  a  pale,  quiet  sunset.    Not  a  rose-tint 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE, 


93 


on  the  clouds,  only  a  dim,  undefined  sense  of  hidden 
brightness  behind  them.  There  seems  a  hush  in  the  very 
air  to-night ;  and  as  the  light  on  the  hills  is  fast  sobering 
into  twilight,  my  thoughts  drift  with  it  in  among  the 
shadows.  Our  moods  are  so  unaccountable,  now  carrying 
us  aloft  on  the  billovrs  of  life,  eyes  bright  and  hearts  light 
with  hope ;  then  plunging  us  down,  down,  under  the  cold 
waves  and  then  out  again,  on  towards  the  land  of  rest, 
where,  "  dropping  all  flowers  from  the  numbed  hands,"  we 
only  care  to  dream  our  life  away. 

Things  went  on  so  for  about  a  month  ;  and  when  she  got 
so  that  she  could  sit  up,  he  would  lift  her  up  in  his  arms, 
and  hold  her  on  his  knees,  and  make  every  overture  to  her 
possible  —  all  but  taking  back  the  dreadful  scene  passed ; 
that  never  could  be  done.  Still,  he  acted  so  that  her 
generous  nature,  ready  ever  to  forgive,  was  somewhat  paci- 
fied ;  but  her  heart  was  dead  to  all  matrimonial  joy.  The 
^ring-tide  of  her  bounding,  glad  heart  was  gone  —  gone 
forever  I  She  never  could  look  upon  him  as  she  did  before ; 
because  she  thought,  and  thought  truly,  that  the  demon  still 
lurked  within  his  breast.  The  quicksands  were  underneath 
her  feet.  She  could  feel  them  give  way  at  the  slightest 
pressure.  Oh,  it  was  sad  to  see  one  so  young  die  a  living 
death !  We  suppose  that  is  what  is  meant  by  the  "  worm 
that  never  dies."  A  continual  pain  at  the  heart  whenever 
she  looked  at  him,  the  awful  truth  would  force  itself  upon 
her,  welcome  or  not,  like  unbidden  guests,  "my  husband  is 
jealous  of  me !  "  And  it  would  follow  her  like  some  dread- 
ful incubus,  some  sad  spell  that  never  was  to  be  broken, 
Nor,  indeed,  was  it  ever  broken. 

Some  time  after  she  revived,  her  cousin  Evans  called  on 
some  business  he  had  wdth  Smith,  who  was  in  the  field  ;  and 
while  he  was  being  sent  for  they  sat  in  the  piazza — she  at 
a  respectful  distance  from  him,  as  though  afraid  of  him. 


94 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


She  was  mute ;  not  a  word  did  she  speak.  Why  did  she 
not  tell  her  kinsman  what  she  had  suffered  on  his  account? 
Ah,  no !  her  feelings  were  too  sacred.  How  could  she 
divulge?  Who  was  she  to  tell  on ?  Her  husband?  That 
she  could  not  do ;  besides,  she  knew  not  all  the  heart  of  her 
cousin  ;  for  had  he  not  neglected  her,  —  intentionally  or  not 
we  know  not,  —  when  she,  as  a  lonely  orphan,  was  far  away 
from  friends  and  acquaintances,  among  comparative  stran- 
gers ?  No,  she  could  not  tell  him.  She  would  not  for  the 
world.  Besides,  it  might  have  caused  a  rupture  in  the 
families ;  for  Smith  seemed  not  to  be  on  the  best  terms  with 
his  first  wife's  relations.  Who  were  most  in  fault,  God  only 
knew.  We  only  knew  that  it  was  anything  but  a  pleasant 
state  of  aflairs  among  them. 

"  That  old  man  of  yours  is  very  slow  in  coming,"  said 
Evans.  He  then  said  it  v/as  well  for  one  to  marry  rich,  so 
as'to  triumph  over  one's  enemies. 

"  That  triumph  is  of  short  duration,"  replied  Mrs.  Smith, 
when  she  thought  there  is  a  canker  at  one's  heart,  and 
the  sun  of  their  glory  and  happiness  set  forever.  But  if 
Mr.  Evans  thought  Mrs.  Smith  married  rich,  she  did  not 
think  so.  His  property  (Smith's),  at  the  highest  calcula- 
tion, could  not  have  been  more  than  $20,000  —  with  so 
raany  children  for  his  heirs,  and  a  young  wife.  A  poor 
prospect  for  riches.  For  if  Mrs.  Smith  was  not  rich  herself, 
she  had  seen  those  who  were ;  and  many  who  had  been  her 
particular  friends,  had  more  property  than  Smith,  if  we  "take 
into  consideration  Smith's  incumbrances.  And  whether 
Evans  alluded  to  his  cousin's  marriage  or  not,  we  never 
knew,  nor  to  what  enemies  he  had  allusion.  She  knew 
not ;  for  if  Mrs.  Smith  had  any  enemies  besides  his  own 
mother,  and  his  sister-in-law,  and  those  who  were  made 
BO  by  them,  we  never  knew. 

As  soon  as  Smith  came,  he  and  Evans  went  to  transact 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE, 


95 


their  business,  during  whicli  time  it  became  necessary  to  call 
Mrs.  Smith  in  about  some  particular  date;  at  which  she  was 
generally  prompt.  As  soon  as  that  matter  was  attended 
to,  she  left,  and  went  again  to  her  own  room,  and  returned 
no  more  while  her  cousin  remained.  And  when  Evans  left, 
Smith  came  to  his  wife,  and  said,  "My  dear,  you  treated 
your  cousin  with  too  much  coolness."  Really  with  a  dis- 
tressed look  he  said  these  words.  "  Coolness,  indeed," 
thought  Mrs.  Smith.  "  Oh  man,  inconsistency  is  thy 
name."  What  else  could  be  expected  from  her  after  his 
late  torture  of  her  on  his  account.  But,  poor  woman,  she 
replied  not  a  word,  and  thought,  also,  are  you  not  the  cause 
of  it? 

"  Do  you  suppose,"  she  said  within  herself,  "  that  I  will 
treat  him  any  other  way  ?  nay,  even  with  the  most  distant 
politeness,  and  have  you  sounding  his  name  in  my  ears 
forever?"  Was  not  Smith's  conscience  guilty ?  And  did 
he  not  fear  that  she  had  told  him?  But  he  need  have  had 
no  fears  on  that  score.    Is  o,  she  never,  never  told  him. 

After  this  there  was  peace  about  Evans  for  awhile.  In 
fact,  we  believe  he  had  not  mentioned  his  name  to  her  in 
that  awful  manner  since  the  night  of  their  return  from  that 
woful  camp-meeting.  He  kept  his  word  a  good  while ;  nor 
had  he  any  more  cause  on  that  occasion,  if  he  had  looked 
aright,  to  throw  him  up  to  her  than  on  this,  if  the  green- 
eyed  monster  had  not  inverted  his  optical  nerves,  and 
turned  them  upside  down,  so  that  he  could  net  see  straight. 
For  she  was  equally  prudent  then  as  now. 

Not  long  after  thiSj  Evans,  having  purchased  an  accor- 
dion, came  to  Smith's  to  play  for  his  cousin  Grace  and  his 
nieces,  who  he  knew  were  passionately  fond  of  music. 
And  while  the  sweet  strains  issued  from  this  instrument, 
the  streams  gushed  from  her  eyes ;  a  long  train  of  thought, 
imagery,  and  internal  vision,  brightened  into  spectres  of  the 


96 


BREAD  OF  HiiAVEH', 


past,  came  in  review  before  her,  and  came  trooping  like  so 
many  long  absent  friends,  and  stood  before  her  as  if  in  pity 
looking  on.  Grace  wept  abundantly;  and  Evans  said, 
"  Smith,  I  would  get  Cousin  Grace  a  piano ;  then  music 
would  not  have  such  an  effect  upon  her."  Ah  me !  little 
did  he  know  the  cause  of  that  flood-tide  of  tears.  The  flood 
had  been  long  pent  up  within ;  and  now  that  it  had  burst 
its  boundary,  her  surcharged  heart  unflooded  itself  by  the 
streams  from  her  eyes.  The  smouldering  fires  in  her  heart 
broke  out ;  nor  could  she  control  them  any  longer.  But  she 
did  not  throw  them  out  in  cataracts  of  burning  lava,  as  her 
husband  had  done.  The  streams  arrested  the  fires,  and 
drove  them  back  to  their  repository,  and  she  was  relieved  for 
a  time  of  some  of  the  weight  she  had  been  so  long  carrying. 
Evans  little  thought  how  her  mind  went  back  to  the  time 
when  she,  as  a  joyous  girl,  met  him  the  first  time ;  how 
music  had  gladdened  her  heart  nearly  all  the  time  of  her 
sojourn  there  among  her  friends.  He  little  thought  of  her 
dead  hopes  buried,  and  how  her  mind  was  ruminating  in 
the  halls  of  those  glad  and  dear  friends  left  behind !  He 
knew  not  of  her  misery,  much  less  did  they.  None  knew 
of  it  but  the  one  who  caused  it.  Nor  could  he  know.  No, 
such  a  sensual  mind,  given  only  to  fleshly  appetites  and 
their  gratification,  could  never  know  what  a  woman,  with  a 
soul  high  as  heaven,  refined,  educated,  and  of  the  most  ex- 
quisite sensibility,  coidd  feel  on  such  an  occasion  as  this. 
And  yet  she  must  appear  cheerful  and  happy ;  must  wear  a 
smile  when  the  heart  was  inly  bleeding.  Must  smile, 
when  burdened  with  a  dreadful  secret,  and  her  heart 
crushed  in  ten  thousand  pieces.  Add  to  this  all  her  other 
weights,  to  be  borne  from  the  family,  it  was  almost  an  in- 
tolerable burden.  But  she  picked  up  the  Herculean  task 
at  the  threshold  of  her  prison  of  sorrow,  boi'e  it,  and  went 
on  sadly,  though  outwardly  cheerful. 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


97 


A  long  time  then  elapsed,  of  more  than  six  months,  before 
anything  of  a  jealous  nature  passed  between  them.  Com- 
parative peace  from  him  to  his  wife  was  the  order  of  the 
day.  She  had,  however,  affliction  of  other  kinds  ;  enough, 
-  it  would  seem,  to  destroy  a  dozen  women  of  like  health  and 
constitution. 

About  this  time  she  was  sick  one  morning,  and  vomited. 
"Up,"  said  he,  "  I  must  get,  for  I  see  another  brood  of  chil- 
dren coming."  Is  this  the  language  of  a  fond,  doting  hus- 
band on  such  occasions  ?  'SVe  think  not.  And  if  there  is 
anything  beneath  the  sun  that  will  make  us  hate  and 
loathe  a  man  little  less  than  the  rake  and  seducer,  it  is  for 
a  married  man  —  no  matter  if  he  have  forty  children  —  to 
make  such  speeches  to  a  young  and  new  wife,  or  to  any  wife. 
A  delectable  prospect,  is  it  not,  dear  young  ladies.  Very 
enviable.  Would  you  not  like  to  be  thus  happily  married  ? 
Beware  of  old  widowers  then ;  albeit,  some  young  ones  are 
equally  selfish.  Would  God  such  men  could  never  get  a 
good  and  virtuous  woman,  but  were  lain  prone  on  a  rock, 
chained  there  until  they  could  be  made  better.  Marry  a 
young  wife,  be  jealous  of  her,  and  then  wish  her  to  be  sterile 
as  a  rock,  with  such  a  libidinous,  lecherous  disposition  a.s 
that  man  possessed  I  What  on  earth  are  we  to  think  of 
such  men?  Wonder  who  did  make  them  ?  We  know  that 
God  made  man  upright,  but  he  has  sought  out  many  inven- 
tions, and  one,  we  think,  is  that  the  devil  made  these  glori- 
ous creatures  over  again ;  hence  the  image  of  the  SLTch-jiend 
in  their  dispositions  at  least,  and  none  of  the  original.  And 
we  appeal  to  you,  gentlemen,  too.  Think  not  that  we  be- 
lieve all  men  are  liars,  and  perjured,  and  such  miserable 
caricatures  of  the  Master's  work  as  some  are.  iSo,  blessed 
be  God !  We  thank  Him  that  we  have  seen  some  who  re- 
sembled their  heavenly  Father,  and  Jesus  their  elder 
brother,  in  all  their  bearings  to  poor  down-trodden  woman ! 
'    9  Q 


98 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN. 


YeSj  thank  tlie  Lord,  we  have  seen  some  who  seemed  to 
think  their  wives,  their  much-beloved  wives,  their  life,  and 
made  us  think  that  some  tall,  manly  angel  had  come  down 
from  heaven  to  show  men  what  the  Almighty  intended, 
when  he  made  woman  for  the  man.  These  men  have  ever 
been  the  beau-ideal  of  our  existence.  And  if  Grace  Clai- 
borne had  met  with  such  an  one  in  her  husband  Smith, 
when  she  became  Mrs.  Smith,  there  would  have  been  no 
occasion  for  this  story.  Some  cry  out  fiction !  fiction !  but 
this  is  no  fiction.  We  wish  it  was.  It  is  true.  Nor  can  the 
worst  of  it  be  detailed  on  paper,  because  it  would  never  do 
for  delicate  ears.  If  the  very  thought  of  it  is  horrible  to  our 
imagination,  what  must  the  reality  have  appeared  ?  And 
now,  ye  noble  men,  who  are  indeed  the  noblest  work  of  God, 
do  you  blame  us  for  the  ideas  penned  above  ?  We  know 
you  do  not.  Although  you  are  not  women,  and  can  never 
know  how  women  feel  on  these  subjects,  yet  your  greatness 
causes  you  to  espouse  the  cause  of  the  weak  —  those  whom 
God  delegated  you  to  protect  and  screen  from  evil  and  in- 
sult, wrong  and  oppression.  If  this  is  not  oppression  —  to 
keep  a  young  and  beautiful  person  for  their  own  gratifica- 
tion, and  then  be  angry  at  a  legitimate  result  —  we  know 
not  the  meaning  of  the  word.  A  result  of  your  own  mak- 
ing. O  God !  we  do  feel,  in  a  moment  of  excitement  and 
just  indignation  against  all  such,  that,  if  we  had  all  their 
necks  under  our  feet,  we  could  stamp  them.  We  feel,  we 
think,  a  justifiable  and  infinite  scorning  and  contempt,  and 
would  fain  have  all  such  chained  where  they  never  could 
see  any  woman  at  all,  but  those  of  their  own  class  —  and 
they  the  most  abandoned  of  their  sex,  for  with  only  such 
should  they  be  made  to  consort. 

A  new  year  had  now  rolled  round,  and  with  it  many  other 
things.  The  measles  had  been  brought  into  the  family  by 
one  of  the  boys  taking  it  while  away  from  home,  thirty-six 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


99 


of  ^hoin  were  prostrated  by  it  at  one  time.  This  took  all 
the  house  servant-maids  and  sisters  ;  and  then  Mrs.  Smith, 
regardless  of  her  situation,  kept  the  youngest  child — a  little 
boy  about  thirteen  months  old — in  her  arms  to  sleep,  and 
by  that  means,  and  her  undivided  care,  saved  his  life,  but 
came  very  near  losing  her  own,  by  taking  the  measles  her- 
self. On  the  22d  of  April  she  lost  her  own  child  in  conse- 
quence of  this  dreaded  disease.  All  the  pain  that  a  mortal 
could  endure  seemed  to  be  her  share.  She  lost  the  child  in 
the  eighth  month,  being  only  about  twenty  days  short  of 
the  ninth  month.  And  although  Smith  would  say,  if  any 
one  were  to  swear  till  he  ivas  black  as  his  Jiat,  he  would  not 
believe  hut  that  his  wife  was  a  virtimis  woman,  for  he  knew 
she  ivas,  yet  he  would  be  saying,  "  I  would  not,  for  five  hun- 
dred dollars,  that  she  should  be  confined  before  the  nine 
months  were  passed."  All  such  delicate  conversation  in 
her  ears  while  she  was  suffering  more  than  tongue  could 
tell.  Oh,  how  did  she  bear  it?  Then  was  the  time  to  have 
consoled  her. 

One  day  he  said  to  her,  "  How  would  you  feel,  if  you 
should  hear  that  Evans  had  said  thus  and  so  of  you?" 
when  he  knew  such  a  thing  was  physically  impossible. 
Poor  Mrs.  Smith,  judging,  from  what  she  saw  of  the  other 
children,  that  she  never  would  have  the  chance  of  bringing 
her  children  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord, 
thanked  God  that  her  child  was  born  dead ;  moreover,  was 
no  addition  to  the  "  brood  "  he  already  had.  The  dead  child 
bore  his  image  as  much  as  any  that  were  ever  born  to  him. 

Grace  again  began  to  revive  and  recover  from  her  great 
illness.  On  the  tenth  of  May  of  that  year  he  had  occasion 
to  visit  his  father  in  an  adjoining  county.  On  that  day  she 
was  somewhat  alone  —  as  much  as  one  could  be,  surrounded 
by  a  household  of  children  and  servants  ;  a  house  in  which 
there  were  no  closets  nor  sanctums  sacred  to  the  use  of  the 


100 


BEEAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


weary  child  of  God,  who  wished  often  to  be  alone  with  its 
God,  and  commune  of  things  besides  those  of  earth  and  sin. 
And  when  it  was  too  cold,  or  she  was  unable,  by  affliction, 
to  retire  to  the  woods,  there  was  no  asylum  for  her ;  hence 
she  suffered  intensely  from  this  cause,  having  loved  solitude 
and  retirement.  ]N"o  one  prayed  in  this  family.  And  when 
she  prayed,  it  must  be  in  the  midst  of  broils  and  confusion. 
If  she  went  into  a  bedroom,  all  of  which  were  without  fire- 
places, and  which  must  necessarily  be  cold  in  very  cold 
weather,  she  was  sure  to  be  peeped  at  through  the  cracks, 
if  any  there  were,  to  see  what  she  was  doing.  If  she  wept, 
he  would  say,  even  before  his  disgorgement  of  jealousy,  that 
she  was  not  satisfied  with  him.  Who  could  have  been,  when 
confusion  and  misrule  were  the  rule  of  the  house  ?  But  on 
this  day  especially  she  wished  to  be  alone  while  he  was 
gone — to  be  alone  with  her  Maker,  and  review  the  horrors 
of  the  past  ten  months.  She  sat  up  and  wrote.  Oh,  it  had 
been  a  long  time  since  she  had  written,  even  in  her  journal — 
so  much  surveillance  around  her,  and  so  much  afraid  was 
she  that  he  would  say  something  about  it,  although  she 
generally  did  all  his  writing  for  him.  That  day  she  poured 
out  her  soul,  on  paper,  to  God,  and  prayed,  if  it  were  His 
will,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  suffer  her  to  be  a  mother  no  more 
forever !  •  "  Nevertheless,  not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done." 
Her  overcharged  heart  was  emptied  once  more,  and  she  was 
comforted  by  her  Maker,  who  knows  all  hearts. 

She  walked  to  the  piazza  for  some  water.  Evans  passed 
by  on  horseback  on  his  way  to  the  church,  some  five  miles 
distant.  The  road  ran  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
house. 

"  Good-morning,  Cousin  Grace,"  said  he  ;  "  how  do  you 
do?" 

She,  as  was  generally  the  case,  after  having  her  spirits 
chastened  and  subdued  before  the  Lord,  rallied,  and  became 


AKD   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


101 


cheerful,  and  replied,  "  Good-morning.  I  have  a  great  mind 
not  to  speak  to  you." 

"  Oh,"  said  he,  "  I  will  speak  to  you  whether  you  do 
to  me  or  not,"  and  passed  on,  and  she  returned  to  her 
room,  or  family  room,  saddened  again,  thinking  of  his 
being  the  innocent  but  unsuspecting  cause  of  all  her  woe — 
at  least,  so  Smith  made  it,  while  he  himself  was  the  whole 
cause. 

Smith  hated  Evans  in  his  heart,  but  would  not  let  him 
know  it.  Although  apparently  friendly  to  him,  he  often 
told  his  wife  disparaging  tales  of  him,  which  she  knew, 
years  after,  originated  in  his  dislike  of  Evans,  many  things 
that  had  passed  before  Mrs.  Smith  knevz  either  of  them. 
These  stories  were  told  her  shortly  after  their  marriage,  and 
after  Evans's  return  from  the  Commencement,  that  memo- 
rable day  when,  he  afterwards  admitted,  the  green-eyed 
monster  arose  in  his  heart.  These  were  told  to  embitter  her 
mind  against  him.  Such  were  some  of  them.  "  That  he  had 
no  doubt  but  that  Evans,  in  his  route,  had  been  to  see  such 
a  young  lady  in  such  a  county,  vrho  was  the  daughter  of  a 
wealthy  gentleman,  and  having  not  succeeded  there,  he 
came  back  with  the  intention  of  addressing  you,  and  that 
was  the  reason  why  he  looked  so  much  like  a  distracted 
man,"  and  then  added,  "  I  am  glad  I  have  got  you."  All 
this  looked  very  strange  to  Mi's.  Smith  then,  but,  like  Mary 
of  old,  she  pondered  them  in  her  heart.  But  now,  after  the 
lapse  of  many  years,  we  can  see,  as  plainly  as  two  and  three 
are  five,  that  Smith  thought  these  two  persons  —  his  brother- 
in-law  and  his  cousin  —  were  engaged,  or  at  least  that  there 
existed  some  attachment  between  them,  and  that  now,  while 
Evans  was  absent,  was  his  chance.  He  would  address  her 
himself,  and,  if  possible,  bear,  ofi"  the  prize  before  Evans's 
return.  In  this  we  have  seen  that  he  succeeded  too  well. 
But  if  after  over-reaching  his  rival,  as  he  certaiuli/  thought 
2* 


102 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


Evans  was,  lie  had  treated  the  unsuspecting  bone  of  conten- 
tion—  his  victim  —  with  kindness,  all  would  have  been 
well ;  for  we  have  seen  how  utterly  without  foundation  were 
all  his  thoughts,  so  far  as  Grace  Claiborne  was  concerned. 
She  no  more  thought  that  her  cousin  had  any  intention  of 
addressing  JieVy  than  she  thought  of  some  one  of  whom  she 
had  never  heard.  Moreover,  her  knowledge  of  the  senti- 
ments of  his  mother,  and  his  neglect  of  her,  when  she  wished 
to  leave  a  place  that  had  been  fraught  v/ith  disappointment, 
were  in  the  way  with  her.  A  neglected  promise,  v/hich  had 
been  made  under  circumstances  so  sacred  in  her  mind,  could 
not  be  forgotten.  Still,  as  she  could  not  bear  umbrage 
long,  it  was  looked  upon  by  her  sadly,  as  something  to  be 
regretted  for  a  lifetime,  especially  after  she  found  herself 
an  unhappy  wife. 

Once,  after  Mrs.  Smith  knew  that  jealousy,  cruel  as  the 
grave,  lurked  within  his  heart,  as  he  and  his  wife  were  rid- 
ing to  town  to  make  some  purchases  preparatory  to  his 
eldest  daughter's  wedding,  they  met  Evans  on  horseback 
going  out  home.  Smith,  ever  on  the  watch,  said  Evans 
turned  red  in  the  face,  and  that  his  wife's  also  turned 
red.  After  they  had  passed  each  other.  Smith  said  to  his 
wife,  "  I  believe  you  and  Evans  blush  every  time  you  meet." 
Mrs.  Smith  made  no  reply,  as  was  often  the  case  with  her, 
but,  when  accused,  like  her  Saviour,  held  her  peace,  and 
appealed  to  the  Searcher  of  hearts.  If  she  blushed,  she 
knew  it  not,  nor  did  she  observe  that  Evans  blushed.  And 
even  if  she  had,  we  think  his  false  views  of  Evans  were 
enough  to  make  the  blood  mount  or  bound  to  any  young 
woman's  face ;  while  he,  poor  fellow,  if  he  did,  it  can  never 
be  known  what  brought  the  unconscious  blood  to  his  face, 
as  he  was  ignorant  of  Smith's  false  views  of  him. 

The  tenth  day  of  May,  before  alluded  to,  wh*en  Smith 
went  to  his  father's,  to  the  surprise  of  all  his  family,  he  re- 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWIlfE. 


103 


turned  that  niglit.  It  being  a  great  distance  to  go  and 
return  in  one  day,  he  was  not  expected  to  go  and  come  in 
so  short  a  time.  He  pretended  that  it  was  his  great  love 
and  concern  for  his  young  wife,  whom,  with  all  his  jealousies 
and  mistreatment  secretly,  he  pretended  to  love  to  distrac- 
tion. This  idea  caused  her  generous  heart  to  try  to  forgive 
and  overlook  his  conduct  as  much  as  possible,  and  to  en- 
deavor to  glean  a  little  happiness.  But  apples  of  Sodom 
and  the  husks  of  swine  satisfy  not  a  true  soul.  Only  ex- 
ternally could  she  appear  so  —  no  foundation  internally. 
Who  could  have  been  happy  ?  Perhaps,  we  have  thought, 
if  she  could  have  told  on  him,  it  might  have  been  better 
or  easier  to  bear.  But  we  do  not  always  know  what  is  best 
in  such  cases.  Her  heart  was  too  sensitive,  too  sacred,  too 
secretive,  too  much  in  this  matter  like  the  miser  guarding 
gold  —  his  hoard  of  wealth.  She  did  not  even  divulge  it 
to  her  own  dear  mother.  Her  exalted  views  might  have 
been  appreciated  in  families  of  refinement,  but  in  this  it  was 
all  lost.  And  perhaps,  as  we  have  to  meet  cunning  with 
cunning,  devices  with  devices,  if  she  could  have  unbent 
some  of  her  lofty  views,  and  let  down  some  of  her  family 
pride  which  ran  so  high,  and  turned  over,  in  common  par- 
lance, "  the  other  side,  Massa  Johnny,"  when  he  was  secretly 
killing  her,  and  t#o  other  classes  from  the  house  were,  with- 
out knowing  Smith's  proceedings,  distorting  all  her  acts, 
nay,  even  her  best  motives  impugned,  it  might  have  been 
better  for  her  in  a  day  of  development ;  but  at  that  time 
she  could  no  more,  with  her  views,  have  resorted  to  such 
measures  than  she  could  have  flown  without  wings.  More- 
over, too,  while  she  was  yet  in  her  own  beloved  State,  where 
she  had  been  yqvj  much  beloved,  and  as  yet  no  tales  from 
the  neighbors  by  the  children  and  negroes  would  be  brought 
in  to  cast  at  her  to  vex  her  with.  The  citizens  of  that 
county  were  of  a  better  class  than  some  Y\^ho  will  figure  in 
"^lese  pages  during  our  further  progress. 


104 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


We  now  think  Smith's  speedy  return  home  was  to  see 
what  was  going  on,  and  to  know  if  Evans  ever  came  about 
in  his  absence.  Of  which  we  are  sure  Evans  never  once 
thought  of  doing.  Base  man !  he  need  have  given  himself 
no  trouble  on  that  score.  Evans  never  came  in  his  absence, 
nor  did  Mrs.  Smith  ever  even  think  of  having  an  interview 
with  him.  How  contemptible  such  pretended  devotion  and 
love,  when  it  was  only  a  cloak  to  hide  his  hideous  thoughts. 
How  we  would  appreciate  it,  if  it  had  been  pure  and  true. 
Oh,  what  happiness  might  have  abounded  in  that  family, 
if  he  had  been  a  pure  and  true  man.  Ample  opportunities 
might  have  presented  themselves,  if  Mrs.  Smith  had  ever 
thought  of  such  a  thing  as  seeing  her  cousin.  Had  she 
desired  it,  we  suppose  she  could  have  done  it.  True,  but 
she  was  amidst  all  sorts  of  sinners,  of  the  negroes  and  some 
other  members  of  the  family,  and  she  gave  th'em  no  occa- 
sion against  herself,  but  was  in  all  respects  very  circum- 
spect. The  thought  of  acting  from  policy  never  once 
occurred  to  her.  Her  whole  course  of  conduct  was  per- 
fectly natural.  Innocence  never  thinks  evil,  and  is  often 
ignorant  when  many  basilisk  eyes  are  upon  it. 

One  day,  when  Smith  and  his  wife  were  reposing  on  a 
bed  together,  "  My  dear,"  said  he,  "  I  tiiought  that  child 

favored  S  ,"  meaning  the  man  of  the  house  where  Mrs. 

Smith  boarded  before  her  marriage;  who  had,  in  fact,  been 
represented  as  a  very  bad  man,  but  of  whom  Mrs.  Smith 
had  heard  before  she  went  there  to  board,  and  had  ever 
been  on  her  guard  where  he  was ;  yes,  as  much  as  if  she 
had  been  near  some  reptile.  But  to  his  credit,  or  her  credit, 
he  never  had  the  opportunity,  if  he  even  desired  it,  to  behave 
amiss  towards  her.  He  was  the  first  man  she  ever  beheld 
who  was  jealous  of  his  wife,  and  that  without  any  real  cause ; 

for  his  wife,  Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S  ,  was  one  of  those  artless  kind 

of  women  of  whom  it  is  profanation  to  think  evil.    And  he 


AND   HUSKS   OF   SWINE.  105 

ought  to  have  known  it,  and  did  know  it.  But  this  same 
man  told  Miss  Claiborne,  before  she  was  married,  that  wheu 
a  man  got  jealousy  in  his  head,  it  was  hard  to  get  it  out. 
He  doubtless  spoke  from  experience ;  and  if  he  had  any 
real  cause,  Mrs.  Smith  never  knew  it.  Although  there  were 
many  things  passed  in  a  social  point  of  view  under  his  roof 
that  Smith  never,  never  had  to  contend  with  or  be  jealous 
about ;  yet,  so  far  as  Miss  Claiborne  (now  Mrs.  Smith)  saw 

and  observed  her  little  friend's  conduct,  Mrs.  M.  A.  B.  S  , 

she  would  declare,  before  her  heavenly  Father  and  an  as- 
sembled-world,  that  she  never  saw  anything  amiss  in  her. 
She  was  a  woman  that  ought  to  have  been  beloved  and 

trusted,  and,  we  suppose,  was;  only  S          was  so  mean 

himself.  He  knew  what  he  would  have  been  about,  if  any 
one  of  the  feminine  race  was  particularly  friendly  to  him  ; 
consequently,  Smith-like,  could  see  nothing  only  through 
his  distorted  vision.  We  think  he  and  Smith  were  brothers 
in  their  lecherous  dispositions,  and  that  they  ought  to  sit 
together  in  their  kingdom  come,  whatever  it  may  be.  So 

much  for  S  . 

As  we  are  not  writing  the  story  of  all  his  wrongs  to  his 
sweet,  dear,  little  wife  as  she  was  when  we  beheld  her  last, 
we  will  let  him  pass,  y»uth  only  a  stone  cast  at  him  from  his 
good  brother  Smith,  to  think  such  a  thing  of  him  as  to  say 
that  his  own  child  favored  him,  when  both  these  noble  sin- 
ners knew  that  such  a  thing  was  as  impossible  as  that  the 
Virgin  Mary  was  the  mother  physically  of  the  whole  world. 
But  we  say  again,  that  this  lecher  of  a  brother.  Smith,  did 

S  great  injustice.  He  might  have  had  too  much  respect 

for  Miss  Claiborne ;  for  base  men  sometimes  have  respect 
for  virtuous  women,  we  believe,  or  have  been  told  so.  But 
he  never  behaved  amiss  to  Grace  Claiborne  while  boarding 
with  his  family.  Here  was  now  another  stab  to  the  already 
bruised  and  murdered  heart ;  and  he  actually  lied  whenever 


106 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


these  spells  came  on.  And  we  do  declare  that  we  get  so 
angry  and  outraged  against  him  while  delineating  these 
horrible  lies  of  his,  that,  if  we  had  been  a  man,  and  Grace 
our  sister,  and  had  known  of  such  treatment  towards  our 
sister,  we  should  have  shot  the  wretch  before  we  ever  could 
have  thought  of  it.  Out  upon  him  for  a  craven,  for  he 
would  invariably,  in  those  days,  make  acknowledgments 
after  the  foul  play  was  done,  and  ask  forgiveness,  and  say 
that  he  knew  that  such  a  thing  could  not  have  been,  for 
reasons  well  known  to  himself  and  signs  most  indubitable. 

Great  God!  over  what  kind  of  a  mess  are  we  sometimes,  in 
our  route,  compelled  to  pass !  Such  details  of  men's  sins  are 
no  ways  agreeable.  They  are  the  bitter  herbs ;  and  we  wish, 
from  the  bottom  of  our  heart,  that  every  jealous  man  with- 
out a  cause  was  confined  in  the  very  middle  of  St.  Helena, 
—  where  others  have  been  exiled, — there  to  stay  forever, 
if  they  would  not  behave  themselves,  and  learn  to  know 
the  difference  between  good  and  bad  women,  and  not  try  to 
make  all  bad  by  their  diabolical  jealousies  and  false  accu- 
sations. Then  there  would  be  no  necessity  to  pen  such 
things.  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  we  have  read,  was  jealous 
of  Josephine  without  cause,  and  dearly  did  he  pay  for  it. 
Napoleon  Smith  was  jealous  of  his  wife  without  cause;  and 
it  cost  him  dearly,  also.  When  he  would  say  he  did  not 
believe  such  things,  then,  we  ask,  unparalleled  fool,  why 
torment  your  own  mind,  and  destroy  your  own  peace  and 
happiness,  and  that  of  the  pure  virgin  you  married  ?  Had 
you  been  the  only  sufferer,  there  would  not  have  been  much 
matter,  for  we  have  no  pity  for  man  or  woman  suffering 
from  imaginary  evils.  And  we  have  never  known  it  fail, 
in  a  whole  lifetime  of  observation,  that  the  most  jealous  are 
the  most  vicious,  and,  vice  versa,  the  most  innocent  the  least 
jealous. ,  Hence,  we  conclude  that  jealousy,  when  it  takes 
possession  of  a  man's  heart,  is  one  of  the  most  diabolical 


AND   HUSKS   OF  ST>^INE. 


107 


passions  ever  sliot  into  the  liumaii  heart,  and  one  of  the 
hardest  to  be  extracted.  The  deyil  makes  sure  of  his  aim 
in  this  case,  and  the  ball  makes  a  sure  lodgment  among  the 
most  vital  parts  —  the  sinner  is  mortally  wounded ;  for  we 
have  never  kno^Yu,  in  a  long  lifetime,  or  heard  or  read, 
that  we  remember  now,  when  one  did  receive  the  fatal  shot, 
that  it  was  ever  extracted.  Real  or  imaginary,  if  he  thinks 
it  so,  it  is  a  reality  with  him.  "NVhen  imaginary,  he  is  often 
-  worse  than  where  there  was  a  cause.  We  have  seen  some 
men,  and  women,  too,  who  could  not  be  made  jealous  under 
any  circumstances.  And  in  some  instances  of  which  we 
have  been  eye-witnesses,  it  seemed  even  the  unsuspecting 
might  have  been  jealous,  or  might  have  known  facts, 
whether  jealous  or  not,  but  who  seemed  not  to  think  of  any 
such  thing.  We  suppose  they  belonged  to  the  class  that 
"  thinketh  no  evil."  To  this  class  Mrs.  Smith  certainly  be- 
longed. For  had  she  no  cause,  if  she  had  thought  and  looked 
about  herf  But,  ah  no!  it  never  entered  her  pure  mind, 
such  unholy  thoughts.  "To  the  pure  all  things  are  pure." 
Why  not  have  the  trial  of  jealousy  performed,  as  mentioned 
in  the  Scriptures,  rather  than  have  a  continual  torture  with- 
out ccbusef  This,  according  to  the  Mosaic  code,  would  have 
been  a  more  legal  course. 

But  although  she  was  so  sacredly  keeping  all  her  troubles 
within  her  own  breast,  was  he  so  ?  Did  he  never  breathe 
his  thoughts  to  some  of  his  old  negroes?  Heaven  only 
knows.  But  we  shall  see,  as  we  proceed,  if  we  have  not  a 
very  good  foundation  for  such  a  thought.  And  yet  Mrs. 
Smith  would  have  thought  it  high  treason  to  have  allowed 
such  an  idea  to  enter  her  mind  while  he  was,  with  all  his 
jealousies,  when  in  good  humor,  calling  her  the  sweetest 
creature  in  the  world,  and  saying,  many,  many  times 
during  the  day  and  night,  "  God  bless  your  sweet  soul." 
And  for  her  to  have  had  a  shadow  of  a  doubt  of  him  would, 
at  that  time,  have  been  the  last  thought  that  could  have  pre- 


108  BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 

sented  itself.  Such  purity  in  juxtaposition  with  evil  sur- 
misings  is  a  contrast  amazingly  unpleasant. 

We  have  heard  some  women  say  that  they  wished  their 
husbands  were  jealous  of  them,  for  then  it  would  prove  that 
they  loved  them  very  much.  Well,  our  dear  lady  or  ladies, 
you  are  welcome  to  all  the  jealousy  from  your  husbands 
that  they  are  capable  of ;  but  we,  our  own  humble  self,  beg 
to  be  excused.  Nay,  if  we  could  be  married  to  the  chief 
adversary  for  a  space  of  ten,  fifteen,  or  twenty  years,  and 
then  be  released,  we  would  prefer  it  to  your  jealous  man. 
A  sign  of  love !  no,  never,  in  our  estimation.  Confidence  is 
a  sign  of  love,  and  not  all-absorbing,  consuming  jealousy, 
which  eats  out  the  heart-core  of  affection,  as  the  fires  of 
Gehenna  destroy  all  the  peace  and  quiet  of  the  victims  ex- 
posed to  its  flames. 

Jealousy,  in  our  opinion,  is  the  very  antagonist  of  love; 
and  the  man  under  its  influence  is  like  the  wild  beast — he  is 
so  greedy  of  his  prey,  that  no  other  beast  dare  look  upon  it. 
And  as  he  feels  himself  in  possession  of  this  coveted,  choice 
lamb — the  king  of  beasts — O  mercy,  "  touch  it,  who  dare." 
And  to  prove  that  our  sentiments  are  logical  and  right,  this 
wild  beast  would  rather  destroy,  than  let  one  of  his  fellow- 
beasts  touch  his  victim,  even  after  he  is  dead.  A  woeful 
evidence  we  had  in  the  husband  who  shot  his  wife  with  her 
babe  in  her  arms,  and  made  it,  and  some  two  other  little 
children  (girls),  motherless.  It  was  said  that  somehow  the 
insane  idea  got  into  his  head  that  he  had  to  die  before  his 
wife ;  and  knowing  that  her  great  beauty  would  cause  her 
to  have  admirers  after  his  demise,  to  prevent  this  (to  his 
jealous,  ferocious  mind,)  great  catastrophe,  what  does  he 
do,  but,  like  a  raving  wild  beast,  bring  about  a  much  greater 
one,  that  made  all  the  ears  of  the  people  of  the  good  old 

State  of  G  tingle.    He  killed  his  victim,  thus  causing 

her  to  die  before  him ;  and  then  took  his  own  life  in  prison, 


AND  HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


109 


to  prevent  a  public  execution  of  his  own  miserable  carcase. 
Where  was  the  love  in  all  this  matter  ?  "  Love  worketh  no 
ill  to  his  neighbor,"  much  less  to  his  wife ;  so  away  with  all 
the  jealous  husbands  for  us.  Confine  them  on  the  barren, 
bleak  i*ocks  of  St.  Helena  forever.  Let  them  lie  there,  as 
Satan  did  on  the  burning  pool,  prone,  lest,  if  they  get  into 
any  earthly  garden  of  Eden,  as  Satan  did,  there  will  be  the 
mischief  to  pay,  and  all  the  wild  works  that  we  might  ex- 
pect from  a  second  edition  of  this  bold,  bad,  wild  adventurer 
in  his  ingress  into  Eden.  He  certainly  has  made  some 
amendments  to  his  infernal  arts  since  he  first  tried  them  so 
successfully  on  Adam  and  Eve,  and  has  by  this  time  taught 
his  willing  and  very  obedient  sons  the  new  improvements. 
If  Adam  had  been  jealous,  he  never  would  have  thought  of 
killing  Eve.  The  thought  of  murder  made  its  first  develop- 
ment »from  Cain  on  his  more  righteous  brother,  and  jealousy 
and  envy,  twin-sisters,  were  the  cause  of  it  then.  But  now 
these  well-tutored  sons  of  Adam,  under  the  guardianship  of 
this  first  cause  of  evil,  to  wit,  the  w^ell-beloved  and  well- 
obeyed  old  Satan,  have  made  such  rapid  advancement  in 
his  infernal  trickery,  that  they  can  kill  their  wives  in  cold 
blood,  and  then  wape  their  mouths,  as  the  bad  woman,  and 
say, "  we  have  done  no  evil."  Now  do  you,  our  dear  young 
gentle  reader,  think  jealousy  a  sign  of  love?  Well,  if  you 
do,  all  we  have  to  say  on  the  subject  is,  that  you  are  wel- 
come to  the  signs  and  all  the  reality  that  follow  them ;  for, 
from  them  all,  we  say,  in  the  integrity  of  our  soul,  "  Good 
Lord,  deliver  us."  We  wish  no  such  love,  nor  its  signs.  It 
is  a  hydra-headed  monster,  whose  jaws  are  as  voracious  as 
the  grave  and  hell.  We  have  not  yet  exhausted  our  vocabu- 
lary in  giving  it  names ;  we  may  still  have  some  new  ones 
for  it,  as  we  advance.  We  think  he  is  the  very  fellow  that 
tucked  his  tail,  or  rather,  as  there  was  a  company  of  them, 
tucked  their  tails  and  ran  away  into  the  herd  of  swine, 
10 


110 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


when  the  Saviour  cast  them  out  of  the  man.  They  called 
Him  Lord,  or  Master,  we  believe.  Any  way,  they  acknowl- 
edged His  supremacy,  when  they  besought  our  Saviour,  say- 
ing, "  Lord,  if  thou  cast  us  out,  suffer  us  to  go  into  the  herd 
of  swine  ; "  for  they  did  not  wish  to  go  back  to  pandemonium, 
as  they  had  perhaps  done  all  the  mischief  there  they  could, 
and  thought  they  could  better  serve  the  purpose  of  their  great 
master,  the  chief  devil,  by  staying  among  men  and  swine. 
See !  they  did  not  ask  to  go  among  the  v*"omen,  for  about 
that  time  woman  was  the  especial  favorite  of  the  Saviour  of 
the  world,  and  was  then  under  His  particular  guardianship. 
But  these  poor  devils,  after  having  drowned  the  whole  herd 
of  swine  in  the  sea,  worked  their  way  out  again  among  men, 
entered  all  the  jealous-minded  ones,  and  there  have  dwelt 
ever  since.  We  have  never  heard  of  their  being  cast  out 
since  that  day.  They  have  been  feeding  them  with  the 
husks  the  swine  left  when  they  hastened  them  away  from 
their  repast  before  them,  and  they  are  tenfold  more  like 
these  demons  than  before.  But  we  will  now  leave  the  dis- 
cussion of  these  gents  for  awhile,  and  look  after  the  hero 
Smith. 

A  whole  year  had  now  passed  since  their  marriage. 
Smith  had  promised  to  take  his  wife  to  see  her  relations, 
and  the  time  drew  near  for  their  departure.  He  wished  to 
back  out ;  offered  his  wife  seventy  dollars,  if  she  would  not 
go.  But  she  —  knowing  that  she  would  lay  it  out  for  the 
family,  and  then  perhaps  be  blamed  for  it,  and  such  were 
her  yearnings  and  longing  desires  to  see  her  dear  mother 
and  sisters  —  refused  to  accept  his  offer,  and  told  him  she 
would  hold  him  good  to  his  promise  ;  for  she  had  not  seen 
her  mother  for  more  than  two  years.  Consequently,  it  was 
not  long  before  they  set  out  on  their  journey.  They  passed 
through  many  places  which  she  had,  about  twenty  months 
before,  passed  in  company  with  her  cousin  Evans. 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


Ill 


When  they  came  to  M  ,  where  some  distant  relations 

dwelt,  they  heard  that  Smith's  father  was  lying  very  sick, 
and  it  was  thought  would  die.  Mrs.  Smith  proposed  going 
to  his  father's  immediately,  but  he  declined  going  until  their 
rfeturn  from  her  relations. 

He  appeared  to  be  quite  happy  among  his  wife's  people, 
who  were  very  kind  to  him.  But  especially  among  her  ac- 
quaintances and  friends  did  he  hear  her  praise,  who,  having 
known  her  from  a  child,  held  her  in  high  estimation,  and 
told  him  there  was  no  two  ways  about  Grace's  conduct ;  that 
duty  and  piety  were  the  polar  star  to  her  —  tynie  in  every 
point.  One  good  minister  whom  he  met,  told  him  that  he 
believed  sister  Grace  was  the  most  pious  young  woman  he 
ever  knew. 

Smith's  father's  illness  cut  short  their  stay  among  his 
wife's  relations,  and  caused  them  to  hasten  back  earlier  than 
they  had  intended.  Smith's  father,  although  sick,  appeared 
to  be  captivated  by  his  new  daughter-in-law ;  did  not  wish 
her  out  of  his  sight,  not  even  a  moment,  while  they  remained, 
but  would  be  constantly  calling  for  her.  Smith's  eldest 
.brother  and  sister  being  there  also,  seemed  well  pleased. 
And  even  all  their  servants,  too,  were  well  pleased. 

On  their  return  home,  Smith  had  an  argument  with  his 
wife  a,bout  the  beauty  of  her  next  oldest  sister's  little 
daughter,  and  his  youngest  daughter.  Mrs.  Smith  did 
think  her  little  charge  pretty,  but  her  sister's  daughter 
prettier.  At  this  he  flew  into  a  passion,  or  rather  rage  ;  did 
not  speak  for  some  time  after,  saying  nothing  he  had  was 
pretty.  Mrs.  Smith  was  sorry  the  subject  had  been 
broached  ;  and  although  she  had  seen  a  considerable  amount 
of  his  passionate,  whimsical  way  of  doing  things,  and  angry 
talking,  she  did  not  anticipate  this  whirlwind  or  tempest  on 
so  trivial  an  occasion,  and  hence  was  taken  by  surprise.  Yet 
who  could  be  forever  on  his  guard,  so  as  to  ward  ofl"  or  avert 


112  BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 

such  whirly  gusts.  For  although  she  really  did  love  his 
daughter,  she  still  thought  her  sister's  daughter  the  pret- 
tiest, and  did  not  think  it  would  make  her  husband  mad  to 
say  so. 

Smith's  daughter  was  of  a  dark  brunette  complexion, 
large  whitish-blue  or  gray  eyes,  and  auburn  colored  hair, 
with  a  large  frame  and  features.  His  wife's  sister's  daughter 
w^as  of  a  beautiful,  fair  complexion,  deep  black  eyes  and 
black  hair,  perfect  symmetry  in  form  and  features;  not 
large,  but  quite  delicate  and  ladylike  in  her  appearance. 
Not  one  in  a  thousand  but  would  have  said  little  Miss 
D  was  prettier  than  little  Miss  Smith. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

TROUBLE  ABOUT  SMITH's  PROPERTY. 

'^pHUS  it  was  that  Smith  carried  his  jealousies  and  preju- 
J-  dices  into  almost  everything — into  little  every-day 
aifairs,  occurrences,  and  conversations,  not  worth  a  well-bred 
child's  notice,  to  say  nothing  of  a  fit  of  madness  for  a  grown 
man.  Such  conduct  in  a  man  over  forty  years  of  age  argues 
something  very  strange,  unless  we  say  at  once  that  he  was 
an  absolute  tyrant  —  one  who  could  bear  no  contradiction 
at  all ;  nay,  not  even  a  difference  of  opinion  expressed, 
and  that  by  his  own  wife,  too,  whom  he  v/ould  pretend  to 
idolize,  but,  like  Henry  the  Eighth,  would  almost  the  next 
moment  be  ready  to  cut  her  head  off  for  what  would  ap- 
pear to  many  others  almost  a  perfect  nothing.  Queen 
Elizabeth,  for  instance,  was  ready  to  behead  a  man  if  he 
called  another  queen  prettier  than  herself.    If  it  come  to 


AND 


HUSKS  OF 


SWINE. 


113 


that  in  this  country,  that  one  cannot  express  even  an  oppo- 
site opinion  without  being  in  danger  of  a  whirly  gust  of 
passion,  what  better  off  are  we  than  if  under  an  absolute 
monarchy,  except  the  lack  of  power  to  do  as  the  tyrant 
would  do,  provided  he  were  in  a  kingly  country  ? 

During  the  trip,  however,  —  although  given  to  these 
freaks,  —  he  was  very  fond  of  his  wife,  especially  among 
her  own  people,  frequently  putting  his  hand  on  his  knee  to 
her  to  come  and  sit  on  his  lap  ;  and  among  his  own  people 
he  appeared  almost  to  adore  his  young  wife.  But  all  this 
could  only  make  her  seemingly  happy.  The  aching  heart 
was  within.  When  they  arrived  at  home,  although  there 
was  bright  light  all  about,  it  being  beautiful  summer 
weather,  yet  in  her  heart  there  was  gloom.  For  no  glad 
faces  met  her,  no  glad  voices  greeted  her  ears ;  and  though 
apparently  happy,  yet  inwardly  there  was  great  sadness, 
because  no  glad,  joyous,  happy  spirit  can  long  be  happy  if 
it  see  that  it  is  not  beloved  in  return  by  those  around  it. 
Love  for  love,  and  nothing  else.  She  would  try  to  even 
dare  to  think  herself  happy,  at  least  in  her  husband.  But, 
O  truth !  the  burning  truth  of  his  fitful  ways  marred  all.  And 
when  she  turned  within  to  behold  her  joyous  heart,  behold 
the  waste  made  there,  like  an  endless  desert  upon  which 
she  would  send  her  eyes  in  search  of  some  green  spot,  which, 
alas !  could  not  be  found.  There  was  no  rest  for  the  sole 
of  her  feet  from  the  troubled  waters.  Without,  was  one 
wild  waste  of  endless  waters,  and  within  the  family  ark 
there  lurked  a  serpent.  The  freaky  love  of  her  husband 
was  so  uncertain,  that  there  could  be  no  permanent  security 
or  hope  of  long  continuance.  Yet  when  the  spells  were  not 
on  him,  there  would  be  a  lull,  and  she  would  be  soothed 
into  something  like  complaisance,  thinking  that  surely  he 
did  indeed  love  her,  as  he  was  so  often  ardently  professing. 
But  the  awful  truth  of  his  jealousies  even  though  now  the 
10*  H 


114 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


spell  might  be  off,  and  he  believed  not  what  he  said  when 
under  their  influence,  as  he  again  and  again  avowed  that 
he  never  believed  a  word  he  uttered  under  such  passions  — 
evinced  an  imbecility  of  mind  which  was  not  at  all  in  con- 
cert with  her  high  and  lofty  views  of  love  and  friendship, 
especially  conjugal  love  and  friendship.  And  hence,  with 
all  the  blindness  natural  towards  those  with  whom  we  dwell 
and  wish  to  love,  she  could  not  help  thinking  her  very  tran- 
sient, evanescent  happiness  was  on  a  poor,  a  sandy  founda- 
tion. If  the  floods  should  come,  the  winds  blow,  the  rain 
and  storms  should  arise  against  her,  she  felt  sure  the  foun- 
dation would  be  snapped  asunder,  and  leave  her  engulfed 
beneath  the  ruins !  With  such  an  ominous  prophecy  forever 
before  her  eyes  of  her  own  destruction,  oh,  how  could  she 
be  even  outwardly  happy  ?  Oh,  how  many  smiling,  beau- 
tiful, cheerful  faces,  if  we  could  see  as  God  sees,  would  we 
behold  with  broken  hearts  and  crushed  hopes !  Yes,  crushed 
to  death !  Yea,  the  most  cruel  of  all  deaths  —  a  living  death  ! 
Like  the  custom  of  the  ancient  "Romans  to  a  criminal  or 
condemned  person,  when  one  such  was  under  their  dis- 
pleasure or  sentence  of  death,  they  would  have  a  dead  body 
tied  to  the  living  unfortunate  being,  to  drag  about  with  him 
until  the  dead  body  caused  his  death.  A  most  cruel  fate, 
and  one  to  which  the  Apostle  Paul  alludes  when  he  exclaims, 
"  O  wretched  man  that  I  am !  Who  shall  deliver  me  from 
the  body  of  this  death."  But  Mrs.  Smith  did  not  thus  pray. 
If  she  had  viewed  it  in  that  light,  and  prayed  incessantly 
day  and  night ;  had  put  aside  all  that  arduous  work  and 
hard  tasks  assumed  by  herself,  of  doing  so  much,  and  too 
much  for  her  delicate  constitution ;  work  for  which  she  did 
neither  then  nor  yet,  as  we  know  of,  get  any  thanks  for,  but 
only  misrepresentation,  it  might  have  been  better  for  her.  But 
she  never  could  be  selfish  enough,  not  even  for  self-preserva- 
tion.   The  doctrine  of  taking  care  of  "  number  one  "  yiever 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  STTIXE. 


115 


could  enter  a  soul  large  enoiigli  to  take  in  the  ^'liole  "^orld 
in  its  love  and  beneYoleuce. 

Xot  much  of  anything  of  importance  happoned  the 
residue  of  that  summer.  Mrs.  ^^niith  had  con:parative 
quiet  abotit  Evans.  She  saw  him  very  seklom,  and  his 
name  was,  never  mentioned,  unless  he  was  named  to  her. 
About  this  time  he  went  abroad  among  the  ladies.  And 
now  it  was  that  a  certain  young  lady  from  an  adjoining 
county  came  into  that  neighborhood  on  a  visit.  It  was 
reported  that  Evans  was  very  mu'jh  pleased  with  her. 
Is  either  Smith  nor  Mrs.  Smith  had  yet  known  it,  or  seen 
her. 

Another  camp-meeting  came  off  this  mil,  which  was  about 
a  year  since  the  fatal  one  to  Mrs.  Smith  the  year  before. 
This,  however,  was  held  in  another  part  of  the  county,  and 
nearer  Smith's  residence  than  the  former.  He  woiild  not 
tent  again,  nor  do  anything  of  the  kind,  to  accommodate 
his  family,  but  had  promised  his  wife  that  he  would  go  with 
her  and  return  the  same  day.  A  poor  recreation,  or  religious 
enjoyment,  that  to  a  pious  soul,  to  go  ten  or  tvrelve  miles  to 
a  religious  meeting  and  return  on  the  same  day.  But  even 
that  was  some  little  respite  and  refreshment  away  from  the 
scene  of  constant  toil  and  almost  incessant  broil.  But  when 
Sunday  came,  behold,  he  did  not  wish  to  do  even  that  much. 
The  devil  would  generally  get  in  him  about  Saturday  night, 
so  that  he  might  not  wi.-h  to  go  to  church,  and  thus  prevent 
his  wife  from  going.  Mrs.  Smith,  hovrever,  prevailed  upon 
him  this  time  to  go  for  her  sake.  And  whether  he  had  been 
teasing  or  tormenting  her  about  Evans  this  time,  or  whether 
it  was  because  she  was  so  hindered  by  her  fatal  marriage  to 
this  very  Methodist  man  from  associatino:  and  comminoiino- 

*  ceo 

with  the  people  of  God,  we  do  not  now  know.  But  one 
thing  we  do  knoic,  that  when  they  arrived  at  the  camp- 
ground, some  good  minister  of  God  preached  an  excellent 


116 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


and  soul-quickening  and  soul-reviving  sermon,  which  affected 
her  very  much,  so  that,  like  a  pent-up  flood,  her  overcharged 
heart  overflowed  again  in  streams  from  her  eyes,  and  was 
thus  relieved  of  some  of  its  mighty  burden.  One  cause  of 
her  great  sorrow  about  such  things  was  the  reflection  that 
before  her  marriage,  although  under  the  protection  of  a 
drinking  father,  she  could  generally  attend  the  house  of 
God  when  she  wished  ;  but  now,  to  please  her  very  Metho- 
distical  husband,  she  must  stay  Sabbath  after  Sabbath  from 
the  sanctuary — yea,  nearly  whole  years;  for  not  above 
three  times  a  year  could  she  get  him  off,  and  even  that 
much  condescension  on  his  part  would  be  obtained  by  the 
greatest  kind  of  yielding  on  her  part — "yielding  to  con- 
quer." And  unless  she  would  consent  to  take  the  children 
and  servants,  and  go  without  him,  which  she  did  not  like 
to  do,  she  would  have  to  remain  at  home;  for,  besides 
always  wishing  to  be  with  one  who  was  her  lawful  protector, 
and  ought  to  be  her  friend,  she  did  not  wish  to  give  him  any 
chance  to  throw  up  to  her  Evans  or  any  one  else. 

Evans  and  the  young  lady  in  question,  with  another  young 
lady,  attended  the  camp-meeting  also.  They  arrived  after 
Smith  and  his  wife.  After  divine  service,  all  dined  at  the 
same  tent — a  tent  belonging  to  the  same  lady,  Evans's  sister, 
who  had  a  tent  at  the  other  camp-ground  of  the  year  before. 
This  lady's  husband,  although  no  better  off  in  this  world's 
goods  than  Smith,  was  indeed  a  man  to  be  praised,  for  he 
built  a  tent  at  both  these  camp-grounds,  one  of  which  must 
have  been  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  off,  and  this  last  one  at 
least  eighteen  or  twenty  miles.  He  had  also  a  very  large 
family  of  children  and  servants,  and  entertained  a  great  deal 
of  company  on  these  occasions.  This,  Smith  determined  he 
never  would  do,  and  never  did  ;  and  if  he  ever  did  in  his 
former  wife's  lifetime,  he  had  fairly  vowed  himself  out  of 
all  such  expense.  Again  at  his  sister's  table,  Evans  carved 


A^^D   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


117 


the  turkey,  and  asked  Mrs.  Smith,  his  cousin,  to  be  served. 
Whether  Smith  took  a  fever  this  time  or  not,  we  do  not 
remember.  The  lady,  the  mistress  of  the  tent,  was  one  of 
the  most  friendly  and  bouutiful  of  ladies,  and  always  had 
an  ample  board  filled  with  the  best  of  viands  for  her 
*  guests. 

The  young  lady  to  whom  Evans  was  paying  attention 
was  considered  handsome.  Smith,  as  a  matter  of  course,  or 
pretence,  thought  his  loife  the  most  beautiful,  and  remarked 
to  her,  "She  is  not  half  so  beautiful  as  you ;  and  yet,"  said 
he,  "  she  is  very  much  like  you  across  the  breast ;  and  that 
is  the  reason,  I  suppose,  Evans  took  such  a  fancy  to  her." 
This  one  idea  seemed  to  be  his  haunting  ghost ;  as  if  Evans 
could  love  nothing  unless  it  resembled  his  cousin.  Mrs. 
Smith,  at  least,  never  gave  him  credit  for  any  such  fancy 
of  her  beauty,  or  devotion  to  her.  This  thought  seemed  to 
constitute  the  bane  of  his  life,  and  made  him  afraid  of 
Evans  ever  seeing  his  wife.  Like  a  perfect  fool,  or  rather 
maniac,  he  acted  about  the  matter.  For  if  Mrs.  Smith  was 
the  pure  thing  that  he  sometimes  confessed  he  thought  her 
to  be,  it  was  impossible  for  her  to  swerve  from  her  polar 
star  of  duty.  And  Evans,  so  far  as  Mrs.  Smith  knew  him, 
was  one  of  the  last  of  men  who  would  interfere  with  another 
man's  wife  —  even  although  that  wife  had  been  taken  sur- 
reptitiously from  him  before  her  marriage.  Mrs.  Smith  never 
saw  it  in  this  light,  for  she  knew  her  cousin  had  made  no 
love  to  her ;  and  as  to  Mrs.  Smith  loving  a  man  unasked,  it 
was  not  in  her  composition.  Pride  of  the  right  kind,  too, 
if  nothing  else,  would  have  deterred  her.  Hence,  Smith's 
jealousies,  and  all  his  wild  and  cruel  acts  towards  his  wife, 
were  entirely  without  foundation,  as  we  think  has  been  very 
clearly  set  forth  in  these  pages. 

Evans  and  the  young  lady  in  question  were  married. 
-  Perhaps  Smith  was  relieved ;  for  his  daughter  sent  word  to 


118 


BEBAD   OP  HEAVEN, 


his  wife  that,  if  she  would  wait  till  the  afternoon,  she  would 
be  glad  to  accompany  her  and  her  father  to  see  her  new 
aunt.  This  wa,s  his  eldest  daughter,  who  had  married  the 
obnoxious  suitor  before  alluded  to.  But  Smith,  her  father, 
seemed  to  be  in  such  a  hurry  to  make  the  call,  that  he  per- 
suaded his  wife  to  make  it  in  the  morning.  ...  It  was  * 
a  pity,  ten  thousand  pities,  that  Smith  would  let  himself  be 
led  captive  by  such  fancies  and  freaks  of  the  brain,  when 
at  times  he  could  be  so  agreeable ;  with  so  much  seeming 
lovingness  and  goodness,  so  much  apparent  kindness  when 
the  whim  took  him,  that,  if  possible,  he  would  have  deceived 
the  very  elect.  But  as  his  wife  was  his  elect,  she  could  not 
be  altogether  deceived,  but  was  often  bewildered,  and  knew 
not  what  to  think  of  him.  It  was  a  pity  that  he  should  have 
been  a  slave  to  so  all-devouring  a  passion  as  jealousy  without 
a  cause. 

They  called  to  see  the  bride.  Evans  and  his  vafe  met 
them,  and  welcomed  them  cordially.  Evans's  wife  seemed 
to  be  all  kindness  and  attention  to  his  children,  especially 
to  the  little  boy  about  two  or  three  years  old.  The  little 
fellow  fell  from  the  doorsteps,  and  she  ran  to  gather  him 
up,  as  any  mother  would  have  done.  She  appeared  to  be 
very  friendly  to  Smith's  wife.  But  Smith  himself,  in  after 
days,  did  not  like  her,  because  he  thought  she  would  boast 
about  getting  this  or  that,  in  his  presence,  from  Evans's 
father,  saying,  "  I  got  such  and  such  a  thing  from  Pa's," 
which  Smith  felt  himself  above  asking  for.  Moreover,  he 
said  he  thought  the  old  people,  since  his  last  marriage, 
wished  him  to  have  nothing  they  had,  lest  his  youngest 
children  by  his  last  wife  w^ould  get  some  of  it.  He  fretted 
himself  a  great  deal  about  it,  and  was  constantly  speaking 
against  the  old  gentleman  on  account  of  it,  until  Mrs. 
Smith's  very  soul  was  sick  of  it.  And  truly  it  was  a  selfish 
way  of  doing  business ;  and  they  (the  relations)  did  many 


AKD  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


119 


tilings  which  they  ought  not  to  have  done,  and  such  as  the 
good  man  saw  in  a  very  different  light  from  earth's  light, 
as  soon  as  he  got  into  the  spirit  land,  where  all  is  peace  and 
harmony,  love  to  God  and  man  ;  waiting  on  the  heirs  of 
salvation,  instead  of  fretting  about  them  getting  a  little 
of  our  earthly  estate. 

Mrs.  Smith  did  not  fret  about  it  at  all,  for  she  cared  not 
about  it.  She  had  ten  thousand  times  rather  that  the  old 
gentleman  would  have  visited  them,  been  kind  to  them, 
spoken  affectionately  to  her,  and  looked  upon  her  as  a  loving 
relation,  than  to  have  been  heir  to  his  whole  patrimony. 
She  looked  upon  these  things  in  the  light  of  eternity ;  so  far 
preferable  is  love  and  loving-kindness  than  all  the  wealth 
of  the  world.  We  have  but  one  journey  to  make  through 
life ;  none  can  return  and  mend  his  wrongs  ;  and  the  more 
we  can  help  one  another  through  life,  the  more  pain  we  can 
relieve,  the  drooping  heart  cheer,  the  happier  we  shall  be 
in  that  better  v/orld.  And  we  doubt  not  that  the  good  man, 
from  his  happy  place  of  observation,  looked  down  upon 
the  past  with  regret,  (if  regret  can  enter  heaven,)  that  things 
had  not,  so  far  as  his  influence  extended,  been  managed  more 
amicably,  and  in  the  light  of  eternity.  But  should  Smith 
have  fretted  about  it  ?  Why  not  move  off  and  leave  them, 
and  raise  his  own  family,  so  that  he  could  ever  have  peace 
and  happiness  at  home?  And  if  he  cared  not  about  the 
old  gentleman's  property,  why  make  any  ado  about  it  ? .  He 
should  have  said  less,  and  acted  more  on  a  surer  founda- 
tion ;  so  that  his  younger  heirs,  after  his  death,  should  not 
have  been  so  egregiously  wronged,  as  tliey  were,  about  that 
very  moiety  of  property  by  his  elder  heirs.  This  windy 
way  of  doing  business  never  sets  anything  to  rights.  And 
as  a  man  of  some  means  and  business,  who  had  managed 
property,  he  acted  in  the  lamest  way  he  could  have  done, 
and  in  the  surest  way  to  instigate  and  induce  and  leave  a 


120 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


cause  of  litigation,  and  put  these  unoffending  fatherless 
babes  in  the  power  of  those  who  wished  to  fleece  them,  and 
turn  them  loose  in  the  world.  He  made  a  will,  in  which 
he  tried  to  be  equal,  and  which  a  very  interested  pettifogger 
said  he  thought  the  most  equal  he  ever  saw,  where  there 
were  so  many  legatees.  But  Smith  had  said  he  never  would 
have  the  property  from  the  old  gentleman,  but  his  first 
wife's  children  should  have  it ;  for  she  (his  wife)  had  done 
as  much  for  her  parents  as  the  rest  of  their  children.  The 
old  gentleman  sent  the  lot  of  property  that  would  have 
been  his  daughter's,  Smith's  first  wife.  Smith  sent  it  back, 
and  would  not  keep  it.  Subsequently  the  old  gentleman 
sent  it  back  by  Smith's  eldest  boy,  with  word  for  Smith  to 
do  as  he  pleased  with  it.  No  written  instrument  accom- 
panying it,  that  we  knew  of,  Smith  lumped  it,  and  all  his 
other  property  from  his  own  father,  inherited  and  accumu- 
lated together  ;  made  a  will  which  he  was  working  at  for 
years,  in  which  to  some  of  his  elder  children,  then  married 
and  being  married,  he  would  give  one  of  these  negroes  (who, 
by  the  way,  were  not  the  most  valuable)  in  a  lot  of  so 
many  of  his  own,  as  far  as  they  went,  and  then  made  the 
balance  of  his  children  (among  which  were  his  second  wife's 
children,  and  some  of  the  youngest  of  his  first  wife's)  equal 
out  of  his  own  property.  And  thus  it  was  left.  After  his 
death,  his  heirs,  having  squabbled  all  their  life  about  a  little 
property,  squabbled  to  the  end.  They  set  the  will  aside ; 
put  everything  together ;  valued  property  received  by  them 
some  years  previous  at  the  lowest  possible  figures ;  and  the 
balance  now  left  on  hand  at  Smith's  death,  was  valued  to 
them,  the  helpless  orphans  —  all  infants  —  at  the  highest 
possible  figures.  They  then  drew  from  the  estate  the  sepa- 
rate part  sent  by  their  grandfather  to  their  father,  and 
claimed  and  obtained  an  equal  share  of  all  the  balance. 
Among  the  fleeced  lambs  were  their  own  orphan  brother 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


121 


and  sister,  children  of  their  own  mother,  who  of  course  got 
a  pittance  of  the  moiety  of  contention,  but  wouhl  have 
been  better  provided  tor  if  left  as  the  father  had  willed. 

Mrs.  Smith  saw  in  the  contention,  in  one  of  the  deposi- 
tions taken,  that  the  very  day  her  eldest  son  was  born,  the 
old  gentleman  —  the  elder  heir's  grandfather  —  had  willed 
this  property  separately  to  his  wife's  children,  so  that  it  was 
not  in  the  eyes  of  the  law  Smith's  property.  And  such 
another  medley  and  confusion  hardly  ever  wa^  known  about 
so  small  an  amount  of  property.  More  lies  and  tales  were 
told  about  it  than  ever  will  be  made  right  in  this  world,  Ave 
suppose,  and  more  than  ten  thousand  dollars  are  worth,  we 
think ;  because  moral  rectitude,  and  just  and  righteous 
and  merciful  dealing  —  doing  unto  others  as  we  would  they 
should  do  unto  us  —  never,  never  can  be  valued  at  the  price 
of  earthly  gain.  But  as  this  is  not  the  time  and  place  for 
this  discussion,  we  will  desist  from  it  till  the  day  comes  for 
its  full  detail  in  all  its  bearings  on  all  parties,  and  will 
simply  remark,  that  we  think  Smith  would  have  been  better 
employed,  by  leaving  ofi'  the  windy  part  of  the  matter,  and 
looking  into  and  arranging  these  afiairs  difierently,  for  the 
benefit  of  his  helpless  ofispriug  in  a  coming  day.  For  a 
man  of  business  and  property,  he  looked  very  lightly  into 
the  far  distant  future,  and  made  but  poor,  lame  preparation 
for  it. 

But  to  return.  His  present  wife  had  no  children  to  be 
in  the  way,  nor  was  it  until  two  years  after  that  she  did 
have.  He  was  right  in  thinking  that  his  first  wife's  chil- 
dren should  have  an  equal  share  of  the  grandparent's  prop- 
erty, as  their  other  grandchildren,  inasmuch  as  he  said  she 
had  done  as  much  for  her  parents  as  any  of  their  children. 
But  why  let  his  innocent  young  wife  be  censured  and  blamed 
on  every  side,  while  he  alone  was  to  blame  ?  And  why  let 
her  helpless  ofispring  be  left  so  that  they  could  be  cheated 
11 


122 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


out  of  all  but  a  bare  pittance,  bardly  enough  to  clothe  and 
educate  them,  when  he  could  have  made  a  different  aiTange- 
ment  ?  He  received  an  equal  or  greater  amount  from  his 
father's  estate,  that  is  more  in  value,  for  it  was  in  silver, 
and  more  valuable  negroes,  and  could  have  been  placed 
where  the  other  grandfather's  property  left  off ;  and  then 
let  them  all  have  an  equal  share  of  his  own  acquired  prop- 
erty, inasmuch  as  he  always  said  he  would  give  unto  his 
youngest  children  an  equal  share  v/ith  the  first  set  of  chil- 
dren. No ;  he  was  always  at  loggerheads  about  it,  and  that, 
with  his  unjust  jealousies,  took  up  his  time,  so  that  he  could 
neither  see  clear  nor  straight,  nor  "  afar  off."  For  if  he  had 
acted  justly  and  rightly  himself,  that  young,  unsuspecting 
creature  would  never  have  been  among  them  as  a  bone  of 
contention  —  she  nor  her  more  helpless  children,  who  were 
a  bone  of  contention  among  his  first  children  as  long  as 
there  was  a  bone  to  contend  about.  And  some  of  these  in- 
nocent helpless  ones  were  turned  off  into  the  world  without 
a  red  cent  from  their  father's  estate.  If  he  had  cared  for 
or  respected  their  views  in  his  second  marriage,  mayhap  the 
relations  never  would  have  acted  as  they  did.  And  as  he 
acted  independently  of  them  in  one  instance,  why  not  in  all  ? 
Ah  me !  how  few  know  how  to  wield  the  weapons  aright  put 
into  their  hands  to  work  out  their  own  happiness,  and  the 
happiness  of  others  intrusted  to  their  care.  But  so  it  is, 
and  so  it  ever  has  been,  and  so  we  fear  it  ever  will  be.  Men 
do  not  know,  do  not  always  care,  or  are  too  indolent  often, 
to  take  the  necessary  pains  to  make  themselves  happy  and 
others  dependent  uj)on  them  for  happiness,  especially  when 
there  is  much  labor  requisite,  but  sit  down  in  supine  laziness 
and  expect  happiness  to  grow  up  of  itself,  and  thus  let  the 
slumbering  volcanoes  of  passion  burst  bounds  and  scatter 
lava  and  death  all  around.  As  well  may  we  expect  and  look 
for  peace  and  joy  to  grow  up  of  themselves  without  care  and 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


123 


cultivation,  as  tliat  our  gardens  and  fields  will  produce  good 
fruits  without  culture.  "  Be  not  deceived ;  God  is  not  mocked : 
for  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap.  For  he 
that  soweth  to  his  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption  ; 
but  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit,  shall  of  the  Spirit  reap  life 
everlasting."  "  If  ye  sow  the  wind,  ye  shall  reap  the  whirl- 
wind." 

In  one  initiated  into  the  minutiae  of  the  underworkings 
of  the  mind,  the  secret  sayings  of  the  children,  and  the 
undercurrent  of  everyday  affairs  at  Smith's,  the  results 
which  followed  would  have  been  legitimate  results  —  some- 
thing looked  for  and  expected. 

The  same  year  that  Evans  took  his  young  wife,  both  the 
young  woman  became  enceinte  —  that  is,  Mrs.  Smith  and 
Mrs.  Evans.  And  notwithstanding  the  great  desire  Mrs. 
Smith  had  never  to  have  any  children,  on  account  of  the 
unfavorable  circumstances  under  which  she  was  placed, 
and  Smith's  beautiful  words  about  another  brood  of  chil-' 
dren  coming ;  yet  he  would  be  constantly  saying,  "  Oh,  I 
want  you  to  have  one  little  boy  at  least,  to  remember  me  by 
when  I  am  dead  and  gone !  "  for  he  was  ever  in  those  days 
talking  about  dying.  But  she  remembered  the  time  when, 
sick  and  vomiting,  while  enceinte  with  her  first  child,  in- 
stead of  holding  her  head,  and  sympathizing  with  her  as  he 
did  sometimes  when  sick,  he  said,  "  I  must  get  up,  and  go 
to  work,  for  there  is  another  brood  of  children  coming." 
Mrs.  Smith  never  forgot  those  cruel  words,  as  they  sounded 
to  her  as  a  young  wife.  And  now  that  child  was  out  of  the 
way,  she  wanted  no  more  in  it.  In  her  own  mind,  she 
looked  upon  him  as  an  unkind  and  wretchedly  inconsistent 
man,  and  asked  herself  why  he  had  not  married  some  wo- 
man old  enough  not  to  have  children,  and  by  that  means 
have  kept  down  part  of  the  anger,  at  least',  of  his  first 
brood.    No ;  but  he  must  grasp  a  young  blooming  creature, 


124 


BREAD   OF  PIEAVEN, 


and  then  expect  her  to  be  as  sterile  as  a  rock,  with  such  a 
man  as  he  was  of  amorousness,  and  legal  debauch  beyond 
the  conception  of  all  modest  people  on  the  earth.  Worse 
than  fool  was  he;  he  w^ished  the  enjoyment,  the  pleasure 
of  a  young  woman,  but  not  the  trouble.  And  do  we  blame 
the  young  wife  for  not  wanting  to  have  any  children  under 
such  delectable  circumstances?  "Nay,"  said  she,  "let  me 
work  for  your  children :  I  desire  none  of  my  own."  And  she 
was  generous  and  benevolent  enough  to  do  it,  and  did  it  — 
more  than  she  was  ever  able,  after  being  worn  down  by  per- 
secution and  sickness,  both  mental  and  physical,  to  do  for 
her  own  children  in  after  days.  To  this,  high  heaven  is  a 
grand  and  important  and  impartial  witness,  having  been 
the  sole  spectator  of  all  her  conduct  through  the  whole  of 
those  wearisome,  toilsome  years,  for  which  she  never  ha« 
received  from  that  family  one  groat  of  thanks ;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  anathemas  and  maranathas.  To  this  she  can  lift  her 
hand  to  heaven  any  day,  and  know  that  God,  the  Almighty 
Father  of  all  flesh,  will  attest.  She  can  lift  them  to  heaven 
in  innocency,  and  feel  his  approval  of  all  her  conduct  But 
the  worst  of  her  fears  were  these ;  as  neither  God  nor  intel- 
lect was  respected  in  the  family,  her  children  might  partake 
of  the  same  nature,  and  conseqjjiently  Avould  be  very  low  in 
the  scale  of  being,  if  neither  Christian  nor  intellectual ;  for 
what  is  any  human  beiug  without  either  God  or  a  cultivated 
mind  ?  Is  he  not  worse  even  than  a  brute  ?  for  if  not  filled 
with  good  —  his  duty  to  that  All-wise  Being  —  is  he  not 
necessarily  filled  with  evil  ?  and  if  evil  predominates,  is  he 
not  lower  than  the  brutes  ?  The  brute  creation  do  not  sin, 
because  they  are  not  endowed  with  reason  and  intellectual 
powers.  She  knew  also,  from  the  little  desire  she  had  for 
children,  there  might  be  but  little  of  her  own  nature  and 
disposition  in  their  composition.  Some  great  man,  in  writ- 
ing on  this  subject,  says,  he  who  marries  for  the  gratification 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


125 


of  the  flesli  principally,  generally  has  rebellious  and  dis- 
obedient children.  This  Smith  did  first  and  last ;  from  his 
own  lips  it  proceeded ;  for  he  said  to  his  second  wife,  "  If  he 
had  thought  he  could  have  lived  without  a  woman,  he  never 
would  have  married  in  the  first  instanced'  And  can  we  think 
he  married  for  heavenly  purposes  in  the  second  ?  We  think 
not,  for  if  he  had,  he  was  now  in  possession  of  one  who 
would  have  been  the  happiest  woman  in  the  world,  if  she 
could  have  said,  as  Mrs.  Fletcher  did,  "  Three  years  and 
six  months  have  I  possessed  my  heavenly-minded  husband." 

This  was  indeed  a  gloomy  future  for  a  devoted  Christian ; 
yet  not  more  gloomy  than  true,  as  the  sequel  will  prov'e ; 
she  herself  marrying  only,  as  she  thought,  in  the  fear  of 
God,  and  to  do  good.  But  she  once  read,  while  passing 
through  these  perplexing  scenes,  that,  by  the  Lord's  people 
not  having  children,  the  world  would  be  deprived  of  the  off- 
spring of  the  best  people  of  the  earth. 

Then  she  remembered,  also,  that  education,  both  moral 
and  religious,  has  so  mAich  to  do  with  the  human  mind,  that 
it  is  almost  everything.  Take,  for  example,  the  savage. 
Educate  him  while  young,  and  teach  him  the  knowledge  of 
his  Maker ;  let  his  lot  be  cast  among  the  civilized  of  the 
earth,  and  he  is  a  very  different  creature  from  what  he  would 
have  been  if  he  had  roamed,  unmolested,  the  forests  and 
hunting-grounds,  untaught  and  uneducated.  But  she 
trembled  with  apprehension  lest  she  might  never  have  the 
opportunity  of  raising  her  offspring  in  the  good  and  desir- 
able way  of  the  Lord.  A  fear  too  well  grounded,  and  one 
felt  and  realized  to  this  day. 

And  are  we  not  awa^e  of  the  influence  the  elder  part  of  a 
family  exert  over  the  young  and  rising  branches  ?  Nor  can 
we  altogether  destroy  that  influence,  unless  removed  from 
under  it,  before  our  young  and  tender  ones  are  old  enough 
to  be  materially  affected  by  it !  She  never  coidd  inspire  the 
11* 


126 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


elder  members  of  the  family  with  confidenee  in  her  good 
precepts  and  examples ;  from  what  cause,  we  never  could  tell, 
unless  it  was  owing  to  the  inconsistency  of  the  father's  con- 
duct, which,  considered  with  hers,  was  a  unit ;  nay,  even 
worse.  If  he  did  a  misdemeanor,  or  w^as  in  any  manner,  form, 
or  shape  overbearing  or  tyrannical  towards  his  children, 
—  of  which  she  thought  him  guilty  in  many  instances,  and 
then  indulgent  in  the  wrong  way  and  time,  —  it  was  all  laid 
to  her  charge,  as  if  their  father  had  not  done  them  a  wrong 
many  times  before  either  party  ever  saw  her  face ;  and 
many  wrongs  had  they  done  to  the  father,  from  what  they 
would  say  to  one  another  in  her  presence.  Hence  all  con- 
fidence was  destroyed,  and  consequently  no  love  existed  on 
their  part,  though,  from  all  we  could  ever  see,  he  was  to 
blame.  But  what  could  she  do  in  such  a  case  ?  Absolutely 
nothing.  But  if  they  had  possessed  any  generosity  at  all 
towards  this  pure  person,  who  really  did,  from  the  bottom 
of  her  heart,  wish  their  present  and  eternal  welfare,  they 
could  have  seen  that  many  times,  when  it  would  at  all  com- 
port with  her  duty  as  a  wife,  she  ever  endeavored  to  do 
them  a  pleasure.  Yea,  more ;  she  often  went  counter  to  his 
expressed  will  to  oblige  them,  thinking  that  he  ought  not  to 
be  too  much  displeased,  because  they  were  his  own  children. 
And  yet,  shall  we  believe  it,  she  often  brought  down  his 
displeasure  upon  her  own  innocent  head,  at  the  same  time 
receiving  no  thanks  nor  credit  from  them  ?  This  is  as  true 
as  the  pillars  of  heaven  are  strong,  It  can  neither  be  gain- 
said nor  refuted.  Who  would  have  acted  thus  in  such  a 
place?  Could  any  but  the  most  courageous  Christian, 
trusting  in  the  merits  of  her  almighty  Redeemer,  who  did 
thus  for  an  ungrateful  world  ?  But  she  had  put  her  hand 
to  the  plough,  and  was  determined  not  to  look  back,  if 
possible.  And  she  never  did  look  back,  but  followed  in  the 
footsteps  of  her  Saviour,  wherever  she  could  find  them. 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


127 


Even  disinterested  persons  have  "been  heard  to  say,  "  Why 
does  Mk.  Smith  fix  up  and  dress  those  chiklren  so  much  ? 
It  is  no  advantage  to  her.  If  she  was  a  selfish  voman,  she 
"wouhi  not  care  for  their  having  so  much  as  she  gets  for 
them,  but  wouhi  be  haying  up  for  the  time  she  has  chihlren 
of  her  o^vn,"  But  in  the  family  all  these  ■well-meant  efibrts 
were  lost,  or  some  sinister  motive  assigned,  such  as  she 
wished  to  please  the  eyes  of  the  world,  or  that  it  was  no  more 
than  what  she  ought  to  do,  and  a  great  deal  more  besides, 
and  no  thanks  to  her ;  not  even  guessing  at  the  real  motive 
—  that  it  was  to  approve  herself  in  the  eyes  of  her  cdl'seeing 
Judge,  to  whom  she  appealed  in  all  her  acts,  expectiug  and 
knowing  that  she  would  meet  them  again  at  his  jvM  tribu- 
nal, and  there  receive  the  welcome  plaudit  of  Well  done, 
good  and  faithful  servant,  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a 
few  things,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  the  Lord  I  "  And  we 
solemnly  vow  before  Almighty  God,  there  is  not  the  human 
in  earth,  or  in  heaven,  or  the  other  place,  who  can  tell  the 
truth  and  gainsay  these  assertions.  Our  enemies  themselves 
being  judges,  who  are  still  in  the  fiesh,  if  they  are  not 
wrapped  in  the  mantle  of  jealousy,  prejudice,  and  envy, 
will  say  this  is  the  truth.  And  if  they  kUl  not  now  admit 
the  truth,  there  is  a  coming  day  when  they  shall  be  made  to 
acknowledge  it.  Wrong  and  oppression,  and  taking  from 
motherless  children,  could  never  have  entered  Mrs.  Smith's 
heart,  much  less  dwell  there.  And,  good  heavens  I  she 
could  not  have  wished  to  get  for  them  in  order  to  get  a 
little  for  herself  :  for  she  had  a  matter  of  more  than  twenty 
cbesses  when  she  married,  many  of  which  were  very  soon 
distributed  among  the  children  and  negroes.  Her  very 
gracious  husband  told  her  from  the  beginning  ''to  do  just 
as  she  pleased  in  getting  for  herself  and  family."  But  more 
of  this  further  ahead. 

She  had  never  lost  sight  of  pleasing  this  gracious  master 


128 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


any  more  than  the  first  "  brood  "  he  had.  But  her  princi- 
ples of  action  were  too  high  and  holy  to  be  attributed  by 
them  to  any  of  her  doings ;  for  how  could  they,  from  their 
stand-point,  judge  of  another  any  other  way  than  by  their 
own  evil  hearts  ?  Especially  of  one  whom  they  hated,  and 
had,  by  their  prejudice,  malice,  envy,  and  jealousies,  clothed 
in  a  bearshin.  One  great  man  says,  "Dress  a  man  in  a 
bearskin,  and  he  may  be  worried  by  his  own  dogs." 

Because  "  Pa  "  had  a  few  negroes,  these  poor  misguided 
and  ill-informed  children  thought  that,  as  their  father's  wife 
had  not  also  a  few  of  the  kinky  heads,  it  was  eternal  dam- 
nation to  her;  and  that  she  (poor  dog)  should  consider  her- 
self highly  honored  to  be  even  among  them.  No  matter 
what  treatment  she  received,  it  was  good  enough,  nay,  far 
too  good  for  her  —  not  considering  that  their  father's  wife 
had  that  which  was  infinitely  more  valuable  than  all  the 
negroes  their  father  possessed,  and  all  that  their  relations 
owned  on  both  sides.  And  as  to  love,  gracious  heavens ! 
whatever  of  the  divine  principle  might  lodge  in  their  souls, 
they  had  no  share  for  the  hated  wife  of  their  father.  But 
if  she  had  gone  among  them  as  their  cousin,  as  in  fact  she 
was,  though  they  acted  as  Edomite  kin,  we  doubt  not,  not- 
withstanding what  their  minds  or  dispositions  were,  they 
would,  being  thus  free  from  the  long-rooted  prejudices  of 
an  expected  successor  to  their  own  dear  mother,  have  loved 
their  cousin  as  much  any  one  else. 

But  we  digress,  having  had  no  intention,  in  the  beginning, 
of  wandering  into  fields  of  thought  more  properly  belonging 
to  another  work,  to  which  we  have  made  some  allusion  in 
these  pages.  We  wonder  if  that  will  afford  us  more  enter- 
tainment ;  for  this,  we  feel,  is  often  so  absolutely  painful  — 
such  a  detail  of  a  jealous  man's  everyday  doings  —  that  we 
are  indeed  grieved.  And  yet  it  is  almost  impossible,  at  this 
lapse  of  time,  to  detail  all,  nay,  even  half,  so  many  things 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


129 


in  this  line  happening  and  recurring  so  often,  ^hich  are  for- 
gotten and  sunk  into  oblivion.  AVouid  one  say  all  ought  to 
have  been  forgotten  and  sunk  in  like  manner?  Not  so,  sir, 
for  they  never  could.  There  would  be  the  day  for  develop- 
ment, whether  we  like  it  or  not.  We  guess  we  will  find 
some  grievous  scenes  in  the  work  alluded  to,  and  such  as 
ought  almost  to  clothe  the  sun  in  sackcloth.  But  we  pro- 
ceed in  our  present  work. 

During  the  same  year  that  Smith  and  his  wife  visited  his 
father,  the  old  gentleman  died.  Smith  received  a  considera- 
ble portion  of  property  from  his  father's  estate,  both  in 
money  and  negroes.  Smith's  eldest  daughter  had  married, 
and  settled  on  her  father's  land,  at  the  suggestion  of  Mrs. 
Smith ;  because  he  was  yet  displeased  with  the  obnoxious 
suitor,  now  son-in-law. 

Mrs.  ,  his  first  wife's  sister,  who  spoke  to  him  about 

his  keeping  his  second  marriage  a  secret  (till  it  was  over) 
from  them,  and  the  same  one  who  so  kindly  entertained 
them  at  the  camp-meetings  already  mentioned,  came  to 
Smith's,  one  Sabbath  afternoon,  while  he  was  very  much 
indisposed,  and  had  been  suffering  from  intermittent  chills 
and  fever,  and  began  to  lecture  Smith  about  what  he  had 
given  his  first  daughter,  without  knowing  ichat  he  had  given 
her.  She  knew  as  well  a^  others  that  Smith  did  not  like 
his  daughter's  marriage,  and  would  not  even  get  the  child  a 
wedding-dress,  but  let  her  be  married  in  clothes  she  already 
had.  Mrs.  Smith,  if  allowed,  w"ould  have  gotten  her  a  full 
wedding  trousseau.  But,  as  it  was,  she  had  to  make  a  small 
supper  for  her  as  best  she  could.  We  wonder  if  they  were 
not  wicked  enough  in  their  hearts  to  blame  her  for  that 
also  ?  We  never  heard,  and  consequently  cannot  deny  or 
affirm  that  matter.    But  if  they  did,  never  were  any  set  of 

people  or  children  more  deceived.    Mr.   ,  the  lady's 

husband,  and  Smith,  both  seemed  to  be  offended  at  the 

I 


130 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


lady's  words.    Mrs.  Smith  said  nothing  to  all  this  until  a 

proper  time ;  but  Mrs.  went  on,  and  said  her  "  Sister 

Smith  lived  very  eco7iomically,"  till  those  two  men  were  irri- 
tated at  her  words,  and,  to  save  what  they  thought  must 

be  Mrs.  Smith's  feelings,  took  her  part.    Mr.  actually 

telling  his  wife  "  to  hush,  that  she  would  hurt  Mrs.  Smith's 
feelings." 

"  Ah,"  said  Mrs.  Smith,  after  having  patiently  heard  the 
lady's  words,  "  that  she  will  not  do.  I  make  no  ado  about 
these  things." 

Smith  had  told  his  wife  that  Mr.  was  a  friend  of 

hers,  often  praising  her  for  her  neat  housekeeping,  and  say- 
ing, "  if  Grace  had  these  tables  she  would  make  them  shine." 
And  in  speaking  of  Smith's  children, "  often  called  Smith's 
residence  Seminole  town."  Smith  himself  affected  to  be 
perfectly  delighted  with  his  wife  in  the  domestic  depart- 
ment, saying  he  did  not  expect  her  to  know  anything  but 
books.  He  was  surprised  to  find  her,  in  their  own  language, 
a  splendid  housekeeper,  and  seemed  to  know  everything  use- 
ful ;  so  much  so,  that  an  old  acquaintance,  friend,  and 
neighbor  exclaimed  to  her,  one  day,  "  Why,  how  smart 
are  you  going  to  get  ? "  Thus  she  was  praised  and  com- 
mended amid  all  her  troubles,  which  was  but  a  poor  relief 

to  a  broken  heart.   And  while  Mrs.  was  going  on  and 

talking  about  property.  Smith,  from  his  low  bed  on  which 
he  was  reclining,  raised  himself  up  and  exclaimed,  "  Well, 
Grace,  you  can  have  what  befell  me  from  my  father's  estate, 
and  that  will  be  more  than  they  all  have."  But  none  of  these 
things  seemed  to  move  Mrs.  Smith,  for  she  felt  and  knew 
there  was  a  principle  of  destruction  at  the  bottom  of  it  all. 
And  oh,  how  true ! 

During  the  spring  following  she  and  Smith,  one  day,  had 
been  gardening,  at  which  Mrs.  Smith  was  very  expert.  She 
went  over  a  very  large  garden  and  sowed  all  the  seeds,  after 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


131 


Smith  had  laid  off  the  little  furrows.  After  they  had 
finished  their  work,  she  came  in  and  lay  down  to  rest.awliile, 
it  being  now  in  the  afternoon,  having  been  working  in  the 
garden  all  day.  She  said  to  Smith,  her  husband,  while  thus 
occupied : 

"Mr.  Smith,  I  wish  you  would  just  buy  me  one  more 
barrel  of  flour,  and  that,  with  what  we  have  on  hand,  with 
economy  and  good  care,  I  think  I  can  make  last  until  wheat 
comes  in  again,  and  have  enough  to  use  pretty  generally." 

He  said  nothing,  but  went  off  to  the  field.  After  she  had 
rested  awhile,  she  arose,  and  dressed  his  two  little  children, 
and  went  to  see  Mrs.  Evans,  their  aunt. 

Now,  after  Smith  had  received  his  legacy  from  his  father's 
estate,  some  five  or  six  hundred  dollars  being  in  silver 
money,  and  he  having  no  very  safe  place  in  which  to  keep 
it,  it  was  deposited  in  one  of  Mrs.  Smith's  trunks  for  safe- 
keeping, and  she  entrusted  with  the  keys.  She  had  not 
been  long  at  Evans's  before  Smith  returned  from  the  field, 
and,  finding  her  absent,  sent  for  the  keys  of  the  trunk,  which 
she  very  readily  sent  to  him,  thinking  nothing  of  it.  Though 
so  full  of  freaks,  and  so  uncertain  in  his  passions,  with  or 
without  cause,  about  everyday  matters,  she  cast  in  her 
mind,  however,  that  he  perhaps  wished  to  count  over  his 
money  —  a  habit  he  followed  occasionally.  And  thus  she 
and  the  little  ones  remained  till  nearly  sundown,  and  then 
returned  home.  Evans's  wife  had  brought  a  fine  piano 
home  with  her,  and  had  been  playing,  and  Mrs.  Smith,  as  was 
usual  with  her  during  these  days  of  pent-up  sorrow,  wept, 
as  she  did  whenever  she  heard  the  sound  of  that  instrument 
or  any  other. 

"  Cousin  Grace,"  said  Evans,  "  Mr.  Smith  has  plenty  of 

money  by  him  now ;  ask  him  to  send  by  me  to  jM  ,  and 

get  you  a  piano." 

Alas !  poor  woman^  she  never  even  thought  of  asking  him 
this  favor. 


132 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


She  was  met  by  him  on  her  return  home ;  he,  sly,  wolf- 
like  sneak,  waiting  for  the  little  children  and  nurse  to  get 
ahead  of  them,  and  then  with  the  most  grimacing,  fiendish 
countenance  that  ever  poor  Grace  beheld,  accused  her  of 
taking  money  out  of  the  trunk  and  carrying  it  to  Evans,  to 
"Buy  the  barrel  of  flour  spoken  of  above  !  Poor  creature ! 
she  never  had  even  thought  of  doing  so,  nor  had  she  ever 
touched  a  cent  of  the  money  in  that  trunk,  nor  would  she 
have  touched  it  upon  any  consideration  in  the  world,  any 
more  than  if  it  had  belonged  to  the  greatest  stranger  in  the 
whole  country.  The  trust  was  too  sacred  in  her  estimation. 
She  never  did  think  of  touching  a  particle  of  it,  although 
this  was  part  of  the  legacy  of  which  he  had  said,  "  Grace, 
you  can  have  what  came  from  my  father's  estate,  and  that 
will  be  more  than  they  all  have." 


CHAPTER  VIL 

MORE  OF  smith's  FALSE  ACCUSATIONS. 

A MIGHTY  great  all,  when  the  smell  of  the  fires  of  per- 
dition was  on  it.  And  what  wife  in  the  world,  clothed 
with  flesh  and  blood,  could  ever  have  endured  this  incessant 
false  accusing,  without  the  shadow  of  a  cause,  and  not  have 
her  honest  indignation  raised  to  the  boiling  pitch  ?  Espe- 
cially one  who  was,  like  herself,  resolute  and  brave  in  time 
of  danger,  though  gentle  and  calm  as  summer  evenings  are 
under  ordinary  circumstances. 

Tyrannical  masters  are  said  to  make  dishonest  servants. 
Tyrannical  husbands,  if  they  do  no  more,  make  broken- 
hearted wives.  What  could  sustain  her  in  these  trying 
hours,  when  there  was  no  earthly  friend?    What  else  could 


AIxD   HUSKS  OF  SWIXE. 


133 


lie  expect  but  loathing  in  the  conjugal  state?  That  night 
he  "was  doubtless  as  amorous  as  ever,  and  with  words  of  en- 
dearment, such  as '''my  dear/'"  My  God,  if  we  were  trans- 
ported back  to  that  time  and  placed  under  those  delicious 
moments,  with  such  a  son  of  Belial,  we  tow  before  the  good 
Lord,  with  our  present  views  and  knowledge  of  facts,  we 
would  have  quit  that  lioly  drive  forever  I  Nothing  could 
have  been  worse  this  side  of  eternal  perdition.  But  we 
asked  what  sustained  her  ?  I  '11  tell  you  what.  It  was  the 
almighty  power  of  God,  the  omnipotence  of  faith.  But 
for  the  assurance  that  such  Hangs  could  not  last  forever,  it 
would  have  been  an  intolerable  hell  to  her  sensitive  and 
high-minded  soul.  And  to  lie  down  in  the  conjugal  bed 
that  same  night  with  such  a  brute,  O  God,  it  was  intolera- 
ble I    She  was  completely  petrified  for  awhile. 

They  walked  on  until  they  arrived  at  the  gate  opening  to 
his  dwelling,  still  talking,  as  he  was,  in  so  awful  a  manner. 
She  could  not  remember  the  hateful  words,  as  thick  as  hail 
they  came  ;  and  then,  being  able  to  hold  her  peace  no  longer, 
burst  forth  in  weeping,  lamentation,  and  crying  aloud,  as  if 
her  heart  would  break,  which,  we  may  be  sure,  must  have 
been  to  her  a  whirlpool  or  thunder-gust,  else  she  would  not 
have  wept  at  all  before  her  tyrannical  accuser.  Her  pride 
must  have  been  all  prostrate  now,  else  she  never  would  have 
cried  aloud.  For,  from  her  youth,  from  some  causes  early 
and  deeply  impressed  upon  her  youthful  mind,  she  was 
determined  never,  if  it  were  possible  to  help  it,  to  let  the  ear 
of  mortal  man,  especially  a  cruel  man,  hear  her  weep  aloud  I 
But  the  tyrant,  as  if  from  fear  that  the  children  and  ser- 
vants would  hear  her,  stormed  out  at  her  to  "  hush,"  for 
we  suppose  he  was  not  much  afraid  of  sympathy  from  them 
in  her  behalf  If  he  was  afraid,  she  was  not  from  that 
quarter,  and  from  him  there  was  no  redress  I  He  was  more 
afraid  (if  that  sentiment  at  all  arose  in  his  mind;  that  the 
12 


134 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


curtain  unfurled  by  her  tears,  or  uplifted,  would  display 
such  a  show  behind,  as  it  was  to  his  interests  to  keep  hidden. 
His  was  the  hidden  path,  and  closed  curtains  and  sly  doings 
behind.  And  although  a  perfect  tempest  of  grief  and  woe 
besieged  her  aching  heart,  yet  she  endeavored  to  still  the 
raging  within,  and  stay  the  bursting  flood  of  contending, 
grieved,  and  aggrieved  passions,  and  said  to  her  tenderest 
emotions,  "  Peace,  be  still ! "  She  acted  from  prudence, 
because  she  did  not  wish  them  to  see  her  weep.  She  went 
into  the  house,  entirely  abstracted  from  all  below,  gave  the 
keys  to  the  house-girl  to  prepare  the  table  for  supper,  and 
sat  at  the  fireside,  in  the  presence  of  her  tyrant,  his  children, 
and  servants,  and  was  to  all  appearances  as  calm  as  ever. 
But  oh,  the  heart  was  in  deep  meditation,  taking  little  or 
no  account  of  anything  around  her.  Her  heart  was  far 
away  from  these  unholy  scenes,  in  its  holy  and  sacred,  be- 
calmed and  sanctified  feelings  before  her  God.  Now  this 
is  some  of  your  good  husbands  outwardly,  but  inwardly  are 
they  not  ravening  wolves  ?  Are  we  uncharitable  in  saying 
so  ?  Could  such  a  circumstance  as  this  fail  to  bring  to  her 
mind  "  the  great  mind  to  get  a  fine  carriage,  to  spite  the 
relations  of  his  first  wife  ?  "  Spitework !  Ah  !  this  is  your 
way,  is  it?  Well,  it  is  just  what  we  might  have  expected. 
A  piano,  indeed !  although  suggested  now  twice  by  Evans, 
who,  if  he  had  been  so  afraid  of  her  enjoying  anything,  lest 
it  might  take  something  from  his  sister's  children,  would 
never  have  named  such  a  thing.  A  piano,  indeed !  What 
does  a  man  absorbed  in  self  and  flesh  and  the  world  want 
with  music  ?  Music  and  flowers  are  paltry  things  to  him. 
It  is  the  jingle  of  the  almighty  dollar  that  has  the  greatest 
music  for  his  sordid  soul,  of  any  jingle  that  he  could  hear 
in  earth,  or  heaven  itself.  A  piano,  indeed !  The  fine 
carriage  spoken  of  by  himself  alone,  to  spite  his  first  wife's 
relations,  never  came —  leaving  but  the  piano.    Now  it  was 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


135 


so  that  after  Smith  had  sent  to  his  wife  for  the  trunk  keys,  and 
had  looked  over  his  money,  and  like  he  was  in  his  jealousies, 
he  imagined  he  missed  ^ome,  which  he  found  out  afterwards 
was  all  imagination  only ;  for  he  acknowledged  that  there 
was  not  one  cent  missing !  But  what  was  to  restore  to  her 
her  rights  as  an  honest,  upright  woman  ?  Ah !  nobody 
knew  this  beautiful  feature  of  his  awful  goodness,  but  God 
and  themselves  —  for  his  wife  never  told  it.  And  some 
thought  Smith  a  good  husband,  v>-hich  Mrs.  Smith,  for  his 
credit's  sake,  did  not  contradict.  On  the  contrary,  if  any  one 
had  told  her  she  had  a  bad  husband,  she  would  have 
thought  that  one  offensively  meddlesome,  so  much  did  she 
wish  him  to  be  thought  a  good  husband,  and  much  more  did 
she  desire  that  it  was  a  reality.  For  it  ivas  thought  and  said 
by  his  children  and  some  of  his  negroes,  that  she  did  as  she 
pleased.  This  was  one  beautiful  specimen  of  it  —  not  even 
daring  to  ■  ask  him  to  buy  one  barrel  of  flour,  without 
beiiig  suspected  after  this  sort.  Was  it  not  enough  to  have 
driven  her  mad,  and  make  her  reckless  of  what  she  did,  or 
how  she  managed  anything  f  when  his  suspicions  for  evil 
were  not  confined  to  one  thing  alone,  but  to  everything, 
"My  dear,  do  just  as  you  please,"  he  would  often  say,  espe- 
cially immediately  after  their  marriage.  How  taunting  to 
her  ears,  and  how  with  holy  scorn  she  ofttimes  remem- 
bered it. 

That  year  they  sent  one  of  his  daughters  —  the  second 
one  —  abroad  to  school.  This  girl,  now  about  sixteen,  at- 
tended school  from  home  about  nine  months.  During  the 
summer,  when  the  first  examination  came  off,  the  father  and 
mother  were  invited  to  go.  Mrs.  Smith  went  in  company 
with  her  husband  to  their  county  town  to  make  some  pur- 
chases preparatory  to  going  on  this  pleasant  trip  ;  some  she 
made  for  the  daughter,  and  some  for  hei'self,  and,  among 
other  articles,  she  bought  materials  to  make  a  white  silk 
bonnet.    Smith  assisted  in  making  the  selection. 


136 


BKEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


One  day,  soon  after,  he  got  into  one  of  his  fits,  and  said 
to  her,  "  You  have  begun  to  rejoice  at  my  death  too  soon,  in 
getting  a  white  bonnet." 

She  said  nothing  in  reply,  for  what  was  the  use,  to  such 
a  man  ?  but  thought  what  could  a  white  bonnet  have  to 
do  with  his  death  ?  For  she  was  sure,  if  he  were  to  die  first, 
she  would  wear  a  black  bonnet,  at  least  for  a  proper  length 
of  time.  She  made  the  clothing  for  herself,  the  daughter, 
and  husband,  and  was  now  ready  to  go. 

One  day  before  the  time  set  for  them  to  go,  she  and  Smith 
went  out  in  the  country  to  the  church.  One  of  the  old  do- 
mestics exclaimed,  "  Why,  Miss  Grace,  you  look  more  like 
master's  daughter  than  his  wife,  so  tastily  dressed,  and  so 
young  looking  and  beautiful."  When  they  returned,  it  hap- 
pened that  one  of  the  negro  women,  having  been  threatened 
about  some  of  her  ill  habits,  that  were  likely  to  bring  mis- 
chief and  trouble,  ran  away.  She  was  a  mean,  trifling 
creature,  one  who  had  been  bought  with  the  said  silver 
money  before-mentioned  that  was  so  sacred.  Smith,  under 
the  pretext  of  looking  for  her,  went  after  her,  at  the  same 
time  having  a  grown  son  whom  he  could  have  sent  as  well 
as  to  go  himself  And  thus  ended  their  contemplated  trip 
to  the  examination,  upon  which  Mrs.  Smith  had  set  her 
heart.  And  so  it  nearly  always  was.  If  she  had  antici- 
pated the  greatest  journey  or  enjoyment  in  the  world,  it 
was  liable  to  be  frustrated  by  a  mere  whim,  or  irregularity, 
of  this  very  irregular  family  and  its  master.  All  pleasure 
of  seeing  the  daughter,  and  being  at  the  examination,  and 
all  refreshment  arising  from  a  pleasure  like  this,  to  a  weary 
mind,  and  of  seeing  old  friends,  was  ended.  Under  such 
rubbish  as  she  lived,  she  must  remain  ever  (so  far  as  seeing 
society  that  she  loved  was  concerned),  and  rust  out,  if  she 
could  not  brighten  herself  up.  And  surely  such  delectable 
speeches  as  she  was  daily  compelled  to  hear  at  home  were 


AND 


HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


137 


well  suited  to  exhilarate  her  mind  and  sharpen  her  intel- 
lect, ironically  speaking. 

Not  long  after,  they  attended  an  examination  of  their 

boys,  in  their  own  county  town.    The  teacher,  a  Mr.  T  , 

was  one  of  considerable  merit,  who  came  from  V  to 

teach  school  that  year  in  the  same  academy  where  Mrs. 
Smith  and  the  good  Presbyterian  minister  had  taught  be- 
fore her  marriage.  He  having  heard  of  Mrs.  Smith's  liter- 
ary character,  had  sent  an  invitation  for  her  and  Smith  to 
visit  his  school,  and  be  present  when  their  children  were 
examined.    After  the  hours  appointed  for  this  purpose  were 

passed,  Mr.  T  sought  an  acquaintance  with  Mrs.  Smith, 

and  while  conversing  on  the  difierent  branches  of  education. 
Smith  did  not  have  common  politeness  enough  to  wait  on 
them  awhile,  but  went  out  to  the  carriage  to  make  prepara- 
tion for  going  home.  They  cut  short  their  conversation  by 
only  a  few  words,  Mrs.  Smith  not  daring  to  invite  him  out 
to  visit  them,  as  the  teacher  of  their  children  would  natu- 
rally expect ;  and  Smith,  we  suppose,  would  rather  have 
asked  a  hoosier  than  this  teacher  of  his  children,  lest  his  wife 
and  he  might  have  some  pleasant  conversation  on  the  dif- 
ferent sciences.  The  gentleman,  who  knew  nothing  of  Smith's 
peculiarities,  handed  or  passed  his  hand  towards  Mrs.  Smith 
to  assist  her  into  the  carriage.  Mrs.  Smith  saw  the  offered 
hand ;  she  saw  her  husband's;  too,  at  the  same  time,  which 
she  took  instead  of  the  gentleman's.  Perhaps,  in  justice  to 
Smith,  he  might  not  have  seen  the  offered  hand ;  but  if  he 
had,  it  would  have  been  all  the  same,  as  he  seemed  afraid 
for  any  to  touch  even  the  hand  of  his  young  wife,  or  to  look 
at  her,  such  was,  as  he  would  often  say,  her  sweetness  of  dis- 
position and  goodness  of  heart.  And  yet  he  would  every  now 
and  then,  even  yet,  taunt  her  with  her  cousin  Evans.  For- 
tunately, she  escaped  any  allusion  to  the  teacher  in  question. 

And  now,  gentle  reader,  do  we  say  too  much,  when  we 
12* 


138 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


say  that  her  work  of  self-immolation  had  commenced  ?  com- 
pletely, and  almost  forever,  sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  his 
lust  and  selfishness  —  overweening  selfishness  —  such  as  we 
never  beheld  before,  and  pray  the  good  Lord  that  we  may 
never  see  again.  For  the  life  that  is  within  us,  we  cannot 
see  what  would  have  pleased  Smith  better  than  he  was 
pleased,  unless  it  had  been  that  his  wife  was  ever  and  forever 
with  him,  and  had  never  gone  to  church,  nor  anywhere  else 
— -never  have  appeared  in  public  at  all;  nay,  that  would 
not  have  sufficed  him,  for  if  at  any  time  she  complained  the 
least  bit  in  the  world  of  headaches,  or  other  aches  common 
to  married  women,  he  would  instantly  fly  into  flinders ;  his 
fits  of  imagination  would  come  on,  with  his  unbounded 
amorousness  combined,  and  would  let  loose  such  foul  volleys 
of  abuse  with  his  tongue  —  vile,  low,  vulgar  words  —  that 
her  very  soul  would  be  withered  to  death  for  the  time.  And 
on  such  occasions  she  would  lie  all  night  and  endure  it,  and 
by  morning  light  her  inward  agitation  would  be  so  great, 
that  a  burning  headache  would  be  the  consequence,  and  she 
would  be  compelled  to  remain  in  bed  all  day,  and  perhaps 
not  eat  a  mouthful  till  evening  again ;  no  one,  so  far  as  we 
knew,  suspecting  the  cause.  Yet  she,  with  a  calm  face, 
would  bear  it,  and  then  get  up  and  be  cheerful. 

Ye  blue-bearded  bashaws  of  Turkish  history,  who  are  so 
much  blamed  for  your  harems  and  twelve  wives,  ye  are 
saints,  compared  with  some  so-called  Christians  in  this  our 
beloved  country !  For  we  do  suppose  that  the  judgment 
day  will  reveal  as  many  skulls  and  bones  of  dead  wives, 
although  enclosed  in  coffins,  as  will  be  found  for  you  about 
the  Turkish  dominions !  High  heaven  is  a  witness  whether 
this  guess  be  wide  of  the  truth  or  not !  We  think  it  no 
overwrought  picture ;  nor  would  any  one  think  so,  who  has 
seen  as  much  behind  the  screen  as  we  have.  Smith  would 
most  generally  be  softened  a  little,  in  those  days,  by  her 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


139 


deep  suffering,  for  he  was  obliged  to  know  the  cause.  And 
when  he  would  come  around  her,  in  a  soft  and  soothing  way, 
and  say,  "  My  dear,  I  am  sorry  I  talked  so  to  you,"  instantly 
it  would  act  like  a  charm  on  her,  and  she  would  get  better 
of  her  pains.  Mayhap  he  was  actuated  by  selfishness ;  per- 
haps feared  he  might  lose  her,  and  then  he  could  not  have 
had  one  to  vent  his  passions  on,  without  getting  a  new 
subject,  and  that  would  not  have  been  so  easy  now  as  before. 
But  if  we  were  to  say  that,  during  the  fifteen  or  sixteen 
years  they  lived  together,  this  was  the  case  thousands  of 
times,  we  do  not  think  we  should  make  a  mistake.  You  say 
it  is  horrible !  we  admit.  But  not  hrJf  so  horrible  in  detail 
as  in  actual  occurrence.  You  say  you  do  not  wish  to  hear 
any  more  of  it.  Well,  then,  lay  the  book  aside,  and  do  not 
read  it.  But  we  told  you  in  the  beginning  of  the  entertain- 
ment, that  much  would  partake  of  bitter  herbs.  And  we 
do  heartily  wish  that  we  could  have  something  more  agree- 
able. But  as  we  have  begun,  we  must  end  this  part  of  this 
sad  story.  And  as  it  grows  worse,  and  still  worse,  you 
must  hear  us  to  the  end,  or  leave  off,  as  suits  your  taste. 
In  some  future  work,  dear  reader,  if  we  are  permitted  by 
Divine  Providence,  ive  do  promise  you  something  more  cheer- 
ing. But  cannot  you,  as  the  Saviour  of  men  asked  his  dis- 
ciples, "  Watch  one  hour  "  ?  Vf  atch,  that  ye  enter  not  into 
temptation.  Watch,  that  you  have  not  a  similar  fortune. 
Watch  one  hour,  and  read  the  sufferings  of  one  of  your  sex. 
How  then  did  she  bear  it  for  so  long  a  time  ?  Ah  !  say  you, 
we  will  not  put  ourselves  in  such  a  condition.  Heaven 
grant  that  you  never  may.  But  she  once  thought  she 
never  would  be  in  such  a  condition.  Can  we  always 
avert  the  dangers  ahead  of  us?  May  you  have  a  sure 
guide  and  a  better  destiny !  We  like  not  ourselves  these 
blood-and-tliunder  stories  —  that  is,  too  much  of  them.  And 
there  is  not  much  outward  sign  of  bloodshed  here  yet,  only 


140 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN", 


the  inward  withering  of  a  heart  that  was  brave  enougli 
never  to  die  to  please  bloodthirsty  enemies ;  or  to  go  crazy, 
and  be  put  into  an  asylum,  as  some  have  been.  Nay,  we 
have  read  of  some  of  our  sex  who  were  lodged  there  hj  force 
when  as  sane  as  you  or  I  or  any  man  or  woman  in  this 
world.  These  things  are  distressing  and  harrowing  to  our 
minds  to  read.  But  we  do  think  we  may  patiently  read 
what  others  suffered,  when  it  is  all  the  truth,  and  might  still 
be  more  horrible  and  still  be  true,  truer,  truest. 

But  "  there  is  a  sadness  brooding  over  me  "  again.  Again 
I  must  dip  my  pen  in  the  ink  of  heaven,  and  go  on  my 
weary  way  of  painting  these  sorrowful  pictures.  We  shall 
now,  dear  reader,  be  conversant  with  some  details  of  a  dif- 
ferent nature,  and  some  of  our  pen-pictures  will  be  of  the 
same  sombre  hue.  Oh  for  one  tint  of  heavenly  ray,  one 
gleam  of  holy  light,  one  beautiful  rainbow  in  all  its  glori- 
ous colors  as  the  Bow  of  promise !    But  it  may  not  be  yet. 

The  winter  of  that  year  had  ushered  in  January  of  a  new 
year.  A  very  clever  old  lady  came  to  spend  a  month  with 
Mrs.  Smith  before  her  expected  accouchement.  One  very 
cold  night  the  old  lady  wished  to  sleep  by  the  fire.  As 
tbey  had  but  two  fireplaces,  Mrs.  Smith  thought  she  would 
have  put  a  bed  by  the  fire  in  the  front  room ;  and  as  the 
old  lady  was  a  very  early  riser,  the  bed  and  all  could  be 
removed  before  the  boys  and  younger  members  of  the 
family  would  be  up,  as  they  always  remained  in  bed  till 
late.  Smith  sneaked  to  his  wife's  ears,  and  objected  to  this 
arrangement ;  so  she  did  not  make  it,  but  put  the  old  lady 
in  her  room  (which  answered  for  dining-room,  sitting  of  the 
family,  and  all)  by  the  fire  for  lodging.  While  in  her  condi- 
tion, she,  with  Smith,  took  a  little  room  from  the  fire.  But 
during  the  night  he  could  not  pass  over  in  silence  even  this 
trivial  affair,  but,  like,  a  modern,  full-grown  bluebeard, 
harrowed  up  her  soul  again,  and  said,  "Somehow,  you 


AND   HUSKS   OF   SWINE.  141 

have  ways  more  like  a  bad  woman  than  any  woman  I  ever 
saw." 

Good  gracious !  Mr.  Smith,  my  good  fellow,  how  came 
you  to  know  so  much  about  bad  women  ?  Has  your  asso- 
ciation been  so  much  with  them  that  you  know  all  their 
ways  ?  Now  this  was  a  strange  way  for  a  bad  woman  to 
have,  and  we  demur  from  your  premises  and  conclusions. 
The  knowledge  of  how  a  bad  woman  does  is  not  among  our 
sciences,  therefore  we  leave  that  desirable  knowledge  to  your 
noble  self.  But  what  putting  a  bed  by  the  fire,  on  a  very 
cold  night,  in  a  room  where  there  were  servants  enough  to 
have  removed  every  vestige  of  it  before  daylight,  and  if  not 
the  servants,  the  old  lady  herself^  being  active  and  smart, 
would  have  had  all  things  cleared  in  double-quick  time, 
what  this  arrangement  (only  suggested  by  your  poor,  down- 
trodden wife,  but  never  carried  out)  had  to  do  with  the  ways 
of  a  bad  woman,  we  confess  to  a  want  of  insight  into  the 
matter  equal  to  your  very  penetrating  eyes. 

Small  blue  eyes,  somewhat  on  the  squint,  we  have  of  late 
days  heard  were  dangerous.  Take  care,  dear  young  ladies, 
of  the  blue  squint  eyes.  But  we  do  not  believe  that,  if  you 
were  one  of  the  most  egregious  fools  we  ever  saw,  that  your 
knowledge  was  far  beyond  the  comprehension  of  sensible 
people,  that  "  you  strained  at  gnats  and  swallowed  camels," 
or,  as  the  little  boy  said  to  his  schoolmaster,  "  You  strained 
at  a  gate  and  swallowed  a  saw-mill."  All  this  time,  the  old 
lady  thought  and  said  Smith  was  the  most  agreeable  man 
in  his  family  that  she  knew;  and  she  was  in  the  habit  of 
staying  in  many  families.  But  it  happened  that  during  the 
time  she  spent  in  the  family,  Smith  had  no  outbreaks,  and 
what  he  said  to  his  poor  wife  she  ever  kept  to  herself  '  But 
be  it  to  his  credit  said  that  he  was  generally  outwardly 
agreeable.  And  sometimes,  for  two  or  three  months  at  a 
time,  not  a  cross  word  nor  wry  look  would  pass  from  him 


142 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


to  his  wife,  which  was  more  the  result  of  her  prudence  and 
silence,  and  meekness  and  quietness,  which,  in  the  sight  of 
God,  is  of  great  price,  than  anything  on  his  part,  and  if  his 
moods  could  always  have  been  divined  and  guessed  by  her, 
she  might  have  learned  to  ward  off  more  of  his  outbreaks. 
As  a  mettle  horse  must  be  understood,  so  we  must  know 
the  cause  and  rise  of  men's  freaks,  if  we  would  prevent 
them.  But  then,  again,  all  at  once,  unexpectedly,  and  gen- 
erally for  the  least  cause,  almost  always  imaginary,  like  a 
spark  in  a  ^  powder-keg,  there  would  be  an  explosion,  as 
if,  as  the  little  girl  said,  he  was  "  tired  of  'having."  (Be- 
having, she  meant.) 

One  day,  at  dinner-time  (when  he  was  in  one  of  those 
moods  that  men,  and  women,  too,  we  fear,  sometimes  get 
into,  a  want  to  find  fault  with  somebody  or  something),  the 
common  dinner-table  being  in  use,  Mrs.  Smith  had  a  nice 
set  of  mahogany  tables,  which  she  had  well  covered,  so  that 
the  warm  dishes  should  not  injure  them,  and  dined  on  them 
that  day. 

Smith,  being  in  one  of  those  amiable  moods  above  men- 
tioned, about  something  some  of  his  children  had  done,  and 
looking  about  to  find  something  to  feed  this  worse  than 
morbid  state  of  mind,  imagined  he  saw  a  crack  in  one  leaf  of 
the  folding-table,  let  out  his  bad  humor,  by  saying,  "  Nothing 
could  be  taken  care  ofi","  as  he  was  so  used  to  saying  in  his 
first  wife's  lifetime.  This  was  peculiarly  cutting  to  Mrs. 
Smith,  for  there  never  was  a  more  careful,  economical 
housekeeper  in  the  world.  She  took  pleasure  in  having 
everything  "  done  decently,  and  in  order."  But  what  could 
she  have  done  more  than  she  did  ?  Forty  or  fifty  in  oppo- 
sition to  one  ?  She  might  wear  her  life  away,  and  yet  have 
things  every  now  and  then  in  confusion,  for,  to  use  some  of 
the  relations'  own  words,  "  The  children  always  took  the 
Louse."    And  at  the  same  time  she  was  so  careful  of  every 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWIKE. 


143 


piece  of  furniture  about  the  house,  that  she  had  it  scrubbed 
t^vo  or  three  times  a  day,  or  a  dozen  times,  if  dust  and  dirt 
collected  sufficiently  to  call  for  this  repetition  of  house- 
keeping ;  floors  washed  —  all  to  keep  neat  and  clean.  The 
more  so,  as  she  had  so  many  who  seemed  to  take  pleasure 
in  throwing  things  out  of  order,  if  for  no  other  purpose 
than  to  spite  her  or  give  her  extra  labor.  And  in  making 
many  bedclothes,  one  of  the  boys  said  it  was  not  she  who 
did  it,  but  the  negroes ;  as  if  the  negroes  would  have  made 
any  at  all,  if  left  to  themselves.  Wonder  why  they  did  not 
,have  them  on  hand  when  she  went  to  take  shelter  under 
that  unfriendly  roof?  True,  Smith  had  negroes  enough  to 
help  do  all  this  work  of  cleaning,  and  weaving  counterpanes  ^ 
and  coverlets,  and  making  many  quilts.  But  for  Mrs. 
Smith's  ingenuity,  dexterity,  industry,  unconquerable  per- 
severance, and  directing  and  helping  hand,  we  guess  it 
would  have  been  as  she  found  it  —  a  poorly  clad  family, 
poorly  clad  beds,  and  badly  kept  house.  Let  him  who 
dares  gainsay  this,  and  tell  the  truth.  And,  in  truth,  it  was 
fortunate  that  they  had  servants,  some  of  whom  were  willing 
to  assist  their  mistress  in  carrying  out  all  these  useful  mea- 
sures of  domestic  economy,  while  there  were  others  who 
despised  the  labor,  and  joined  in  with  the  children,  and 
made  quite  a  formidable  army  of  opponents.  But  so  long 
as  Smith  did  not  oppose  her,  and  allowed  her,  as  he  did  in 
those  days,  plenty  of  help  —  raw  though  they  were,  and 
untaught  in  all  these  necessary  arts  until  taught  by  her  — 
she  held  on  her  way  gloriously,  and  rejoicing  in  her  works. 
But  at  these  unkind  words,  "  IS'othing  could  .be  taken  care 
off,"  she  was  so  blinded  by  grief  suppressed  that  she  could 
not  see  herself,  and  thought  it  was  a  crack  in  the  table.  She 
was  so  agitated  that,  as  soon  as  she  could  leave  the  table, 
she  took  her  bonnet  and  got  off  to  the  forest,  there  to  weep 
all  alone.    And  it  was  not  until  after  lie  was  dead,  thirteen 


H4 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


years  after,  when  their  property  was  appraised,  she  dis- 
covered the  mistake.  It  was  a  seam  in  the  table-leaf,  put 
there  when  it  was  cemented  together  tvith  glue  by  the  workmen  ! 
So  much  for  that  piece  of  fault-finding.  Some  men  think 
because  they  are  so  great  and  ^irong-minded,  and  never  stoop 
to  little  things,  they  do  not  find  fault  without  occasion. 
But  if  this  was  not  without  occasion,  it  would  puzzle  our 
brains  to  know  what  is.  Again,  we  have  heard  it  said  that 
great  men  are  more  vexed  by  gnats  and  flies  than  they 
would  be  in  the  heat  of  battle.  But  we  demur  from  all 
such  estimate  of  true  greatness.  Again,  we  have  heard  it 
said  fev/  great  men  appear  great  at  home,  in  their  chambers, 
and  among  their  own  families  and  domestics.  To  this  again 
we  object.  And  if  the  lords  of  creation  knew  how  much  it 
detracts  from  them,  and  the  soul-confiding  love  of  a  gentle 
wife,  his  children  and  servants,  fewer  of  them  would  keep 
their  surplus  steam  and  ill  humors  to  compliment  their  own 
household  with ;  especially  the  wife  of  his  bosom,  whose 
every  nerve  is  in  a  quiver  at  the  slightest  blast  of  harshness 
from  him. 

It  is  said  of  the  good  Mr.  Fletcher,  that  he  was  truly 
great  at  home.  Also  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  when  his  favorite 
fice  jumped  upon  his  table,  upset  his  candle,  which  con- 
sumed some  of  his  valuable  papers;  the  labor  of  years,  he 
exclaimed,  "  O  Diamond !  Diamond !  thou  little  knowest 
the  mischief  thou  hast  done ! "  A  madman  would  have 
thrown  himself  into  a  rage,  and  perhaps  would  have  killed 
poor  Diamond.  But  would  that  have  restored  the  lost 
papers  ? 

Self-possession,  self-control,  and  self-government  are 
marks  of  true  greatness.  Without  these  noble  and  enno- 
bling traits,  no  man  can  lay  claim  legitimately  to  greatness. 
And  we  do  boldly  assert  that  we  never  saw  man  or  woman, 
with  or  without  cause,  throw  himself  or  herself  into  a  rage. 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE, 


145 


without  feeling  an  inward  contempt  or  pity  for  them.  Men 
generally,  some  men  at  least,  object  to,  and  have  much  to 
say  of,  what  they  call  strong-minded  women.  If  our  much 
wronged  sex  have  strong  minds  enough  to  keep  themselves 
from  these  ebullitions  of  passion,  then  we  glory  in  this  kind 
of  strong  mind ;  bid  them  God-speed,  and  say,  "  Go  on  your 
way  rejoicing,  ye  noble  ones."  "  He  that  ruleth  his  own 
spirit,  is  better  than  he  that  taketh  a  city." 

In  January  the  child  was  born  —  Grace's  first  born  living 
child,  a  fine  boy,  a  noble  little  fellow.  Oh  how  sweet  he 
was  to  the  young  mother !  She  laid  him  by  her  side,  and 
sent  her  petitions  to  heaven  that  she  might  raise  him  in  the 
right  way !  The  old  lady  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  I  expect  you 
will  make  him  mind  right  away,  Mrs.  Smith."  And  he  was 
a  noble  young  man,  one  so  aflTable,  amiable,  and  lovely  in 
his  ways,  that  he  never  had  an  enemy  that  we  ever  knew  of. 
He  was  the  choice  of  his  mother's  flock,  though  she  had 
strong  hopes  in  God  of  all  her  dear  children,  that  "  not  a 
hoof  of  them  shall  be  left  behind  "  in  the  great  gathering 
day  of  the  Lord.  Smith  was  very  fond  of  this  noble  little 
fellow ;  and  although  he  had  many  sons  by  his  first  wife, 
yet  he  was  as  proud  of  that  boy  as  if  he  had  but  the  one. 
He  strongly  resembled  his  mother  in  features  and  disposi- 
tion, though  enough  like  his  father  to  have  the  impress  of 
the  Smiths  strongly  stamped  upon  him. 

For  awhile  now  Smith  was  very  kind  to  his  wife,  and 
would  take  his  boy  in  his  arms,  and  sit  and  rock  him,  and 
sing  lullabies  to  him  for  hours  at  a  time.  Sometime  after 
Mrs.  Smith  was  upon  her  feet  again,  he  had  purchased  a 
box  of  raisins,  as  he  occasionally  did ;  and  as  the  new  fruit 
was  not  ripe,  and  the  preserves  were  low,  she  thought  of 
making  a  portion  of  the  raisins  into  preserves.  "  If  you 
do,"  said  Smith,  "  I  will  never  buy  any  more." 

They  were  at  the  dinner-table,  before  ^11  the  children, 
13  K 


146 


BREAD  OF  HEAVES', 


when  he  spoke  thus.  Mrs.  Smith  made  no  reply ;  nor  could 
she  now  get  up,  and  run  with  her  grief,  but  her  heart 
swelled,  the  tears  came  to  her  eyes ;  nor  could  she  then  have 
restrained  them  for  her  life.  They  flowed  spontaneously. 
Smith  drew  near  to  her  side,  and  said,  "  My  dear,  do  what 
you  please  with  them."  Her  tears  were  stayed,  her  heart 
soothed ;  for  it  was  not  the  disappointment  of  making  the 
preserves  for  his  table,  but  the  cross  word  that  was  a  stab  or 
a  dart  to  her  sensitive  soul.  Sensitive,  alas !  too  sensitive 
for  a  rough  world  like  this,  unless  her  lot  could  have  been 
cast  among  beings  like  herself,  who  are  ever  careful  of  the 
feelings  of  others. 

When  her  boy  was  about  four  months  old,  Mrs.  Smith 
wished  to  visit  her  dear  mother,  who  was  more  than  a  hun- 
dred miles  off.  Smith  said  he  could  not  go  with  her,  but 
would  have  one  of  his  sons  accompany  her,  with  the  babe 
and  nurse.  A  fine  intelligent  boy  he  was  by  this  time,  with 
clear,  bright,  expressive  blue  eyes  —  the  very  personification 
of  good  nature  and  sweet  temper.  He  would  look  into  his 
mother's  sweet  face  and  smile  so  knowingly,  look  at  the 
small  flowers  on  his  little  calico  dress,  and  laugh  as  if  he 
was  very  much  amused. 

And  thus,  one  beautiful  Monday  morning  in  May,  they  set 
off  on  their  trip,  after  having  a  good  deal  of  talk  with  her 
husband  about  what  would  be  safest  for  her  to  drive.  They 
settled  upon  an  old  mule,  which  was  thought  very  gentle, 
but  they  had  not  proceeded  on  their  journey  more  than 
seventeen  miles,  before  the  mule  ran  away,  and  came  near 
killing  Mrs.  Smith  and  her  boy.  While  the  son  who  accom- 
panied her  stopped  behind  to  get  a  switch  to  make  his  pony 
move  faster,  the  mule  got  frightened  at  an  old  cart-body  by 
the  way  with  the  wheels  on  the  top  of  it.  Mrs.  Smith  saw 
not  the  cart,  nor  anything,  until  the  animal  was  flying  over 
logs  and  stumps  and  everything  in  her  way.    And  to  pre- 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


147 


vent  upsetting  and  dragging  the  carriage  over  her  and  the 
child,  reined  with  all  her  might  the  running  animal  between 
two  trees  very  near  together,  and  snapped  the  shafts  off  at 
the  stirrups.  Being  so  anxious  to  see  her  mother  and  sisters, 
and  to  present  her  fine  boy  to  them,  she  got  the  carriage 
mended,  exchanged  the  mule  for  a  horse  by  the  way,  and 
went  on  her  way  rejoicing  that  it  was  no  woi-se.  She  arrived 
among  her  relations  and  acquaintances,  and,  notwithstand- 
ing Smith's  course  of  conduct  towards  her,  did  not  enjoy 
herself  away  from  him.  There  was  now  a,  tie  between  them 
that  bound  her  to  him,  so  that  she  was  anxious  and  restless 
when  away  from  him.  She  remained  only  two  or  three 
weeks,  and  then  returned  home,  her  youngest  sister  and 
mother  accompanying  her. 

But  to  cast  our  glance  a  little  in  retrospect,  in  tracing 
jealousies  in  reference  to  Evans,  until  the  time  arrives  when 
Smith  falls  on  some  one  else.  Shortly  after  Mrs.  Smith's 
babe  was  born,  and  was  about  six  weeks  old,  Evans  came 
in  one  day  to  see  Smith  on  business;  for,  although  his 
brother-in-law,  and  Mrs.  Smith's  kinsman,  he  came  very 
seldom,  unless  about  business  matters.  Mrs.  Smith,  ever 
under  restraint  when  he  was  about,  went  out  about  some 
affairs  in  the  kitchen,  fearing  something  might  be  said  to 
her  when  he  was  gone.  All  this  was  cruel  in  Smith,  and 
must  have  appeared  strange  to  Evans ;  though  whether  he 
ever  thought  of  it,  we  never  knew  it. 

One  day  she  took  her  little  charge  and  nurse  (not  neglect- 
ing the  other  two  little  ones)  and  called  to  see  Evans's  wife. 
She  and  her  husband  both  met  her  at  the  door,  and  Evans 
exclaimed  "  Beauty,"  looking  at  the  boy.  "But,"  said  he, 
"  he  is  like  the  rest,"  meaning  his  sister's  children. 

After  Mrs.  Smith's  relations  came  out,  Smith  was  very 
kind  to  them,  and  there  was  no  interruption  of  peace  on  his 
part  because  her  relations  had  made  them  a  visit,  because 


148 


BREAD   OF  HEAVE^T, 


Mrs.  Smith's  mother  was  one  of  those  excellent  women 
whom  it  seemed  everybody  loved.  And  if  she  ever  had  aii 
enemy,  we  never  knew  it.  And  her  sister  was  a  most  beau- 
tiful, lovely  young  lady,  one  much  admired,  and  had  more 
attention  from  the  gentlemen,  where  she  had  been  brought 
up,  than  any  other  girl  whose  father  was  not  rich.  Evans 
was  particularly  kind  to  this  young  lady,  his  cousin.  She 
resembled  Mrs.  Smith,  though  thought  by  some  to  be  a  much 
greater  beauty.  We  have  lights  and  shades  in  our  picture 
of  Smith's  character  towards  his  wife,  and  we  fear  more 
shades  than  lights.  Would  God  we  could  reverse  it.  We 
will  mention  one  now,  which  the  reader  may  call  what  he 
pleases,  but  we  think  it  a  shade,  as  it  reflects  no  light  on 
him  at  all,  only  making  him  look  like  <a  fool,  or  madman, 
or  anything  you  please  besides  a  gentleman,  leaving  the  kind- 
ness and  Christian  part  out  altogether. 

One  holy  Sabbath  day,  after  the  birth  of  Mrs.  Smith's 
little  boy,  she  wished  to  attend  church,  three  miles  distant, 
in  their  county  town.  Smith,  as  usual,  could  not  be  pre- 
vailed on  to  go,  not  even  with  his  young  wife  and  infant 
son.  So  she  and  the  other  children,  and  the  boy,  with  some 
of  the  servants,  went.  Just  as  church  services  were  over,  a 
dreadful  windy  storm  and  rain  came  up,  and  she,  fearing 
with  her  little  charge  to  get  wet,  or  perhaps  some  tree  might 
fall  on  them  on  their  way  home,  as  the  trees  were  tossed  and 
lashed  together  by  the  terrific  wind  —  thought  best  to  stop 
with  some  friend  in  town  till  the  rain  and  wind  had  ceased, 
lest  they  might  be  destroyed  by  some  falling  tree  or  other 
danger.  As  soon  as  the  weather  would  admit  of  travelling 
in  safety,  she  set  out  for  home,  feeling  quite  ill  at  ease  about 
some  expected  freak  from  him.  Her  nurse — who  rode  horse- 
back, being  a  strong  colored  woman,  and  could  consequently 
ride  much  fleeter  than  she,  a  feeble  woman,  could  drive  the 
carriage  through  the  rain,  wind,  and  storm  with  the  other 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


149 


two  little  children  —  had  taken  the  babe,  and  rode  on  as  fast 
as  possible  with  him,  for  fear  of  getting  wet  herself  and  the 
babe,  for  it  was  raining  even  then  when  they  left  the  church. 
And  even  when  she  set  off  for  home  it  was  still  raining ;  and 
pushing  ahead  as  fast  as  she,  with  her  feeble  strength,  could 
drive,  she  was  uneasy  about  her  babe,  and  stopped  at  Evans's 
gate  to  ask  if  the  nurse  had  passed  with  it.  Evans  came 
running  out,  and  saying,  "  O  Cousin  Grace,  Ruth  has  a 
little  boy,  too !  " 

Mrs.  Smith  seemed  doomed  to  have  no  joy  to  last  long 
without  alloy  of  dark  passions  to  annoy  her  soul  almost  to 
death  and  the  grave.  But  such  was  her  fate.  The  nurse, 
true  to  her  charge,  had  reached  home  safely,  and  had  the 
sweet  little  boy  in  safe  keeping.  But  when  Mrs.  Smith 
drove  up  into  the  yard  to  the  door  to  avoid  the  mud,  it 
still  raining.  Smith,  instead  of  being,  like  a  Christian 
and  gentleman  should  have  been,  glad  that  his  wife  and 
little  children  had  returned  safely  and  unhurt,  sat  like  an 
old  sulky  mule  or  ox  in  the  piazza  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  house ;  and  instead  of  going  to  meet  them,  as  he  ought 
to  have  done,  did  not  even  seem  to  see  his  wife  and  little 
ones,  nor  move  any  more  than  the  sills  of  the  house  in 
wliicli  he  sat.  What  do  we  suppose  must  have  been  the 
feelings  of  a  young  wife  and  mother  under  such  delectable 
circumstances  ? — to  be  scowled  upon  at  every  whipstitch,  just 
for  nothing  but  going  to  church,  sometimes  once  in  three 
months,  and  in  this  case  not  that  often  —  it  having  been 
five  or  six  months,  or  perhaps  longer,  October  before,  we 
think,  being  the  last,  and  this  was  now  the  month  of  May 
or  June.  A  matter  of  eight  months.  What  do  you  think 
of  that,  some  of  ye  old  hard-hearted  Methodists  who,  think 
a  woman  must  submit  to  everything,  whether  in  the  Lord 
or  in  the  ^qy\\  ?  We  know  very  well  what  a  good  Methodist' 
and  Christian  would  say.  He  would  say  there  was  no 
13  * 


150 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


Methodism  or  Christianity  in  all  this.  Well,  old  hard- 
hearted fogy,  will  you  not  give  it  up  yet  ?  Is  the  woman  yet 
in  fault  ?  Well,  we  only  wish  your  good  brother  Smith,  whom 
Mrs.  Smith  was  told  was  "  a  Methodist  and  a  Christian," 
we  only  wish  he  had  exhibited  a  little,  just  a  little  bit  of 
such  noble  Christianity  just  a  little  while  before  the  fatal 
knot  was  tied  that  made  them  man  and  wife.  If  he  had, 
we  vow  by  all  the  powers  above,  he  would  have  had  to  wait 
longer,  and  look  lower  than  to  Grace  Claiborne;  for  of  all 
things  on  earth,  this  woman,  Mrs.  Smith,  hated  double-deal- 
ing. And,  quoting  the  old  grandsire's  words,  "This  was  one 
old  dog  that  neither  she  nor  all  the  beautiful  women  on  all 
the  earth,  and  angels  from  heaven,  could  have  learned  new 
tricks."  He  got  into  his  almighty  sulks  long  before  she 
ever  saw  him,  and  these  were  about  to  grow  to  him,  or  he 
to  them.  His  own  brother  once  called  him  a  mule  in  Mrs. 
Smith's  hearing.  The  appellation  suited  well.  Nor  would 
he  budge  one  peg  out  of  his  mulish  ways  —  his  pouts  and 
his  sulks  —  to  save  all  the  beautiful  women  and  children  in 
the  world.  What  do  you  think  of  it,  young  ladies  ?  Do 
you  think  you  would  be  happy  with  such  a  husband,  young 
or  old? 

Well,  now,  we  have  a  side  of  the  picture  to  show  you, 
which  you  may  call  a  light,  if  you  like,  for  the  remainder 
of  the  time  passed  off  tolerably  pleasantly  this  summer. 
After  Mrs.  Smith's  relations  came  out,  he  would  frequently 
go  with  her  to  church  in  the  country,  and  into  town  also. 
And  sometimes,  strange  to  tell,  would  do  a  little  visiting 
with  her,  for  so  numerous  were  her  cares,  and  so  great  her 
charge,  that  it  was  seldom  that  this  young  woman,  who  had 
the  weight  of  more  than  two  older  women  than  herself 
ought  to  have  had  on  her  young  shoulders,  ever  thought  she 
had  any  time  for  visiting,  always  immersed  in  household 
cares  for  him  and  his  children.    And  although  doing  and 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


151 


having  done  everything  as  perfectly  as  possible,  she  could 
have  no  permanent  peace. 

One  day,  as  she  and  Smith  were  riding  to  church  in  the 
country,  they  were  met  by  a  carriage  with  several  ladies. 
One  of  them,  who  was  one  of  the  first  in  the  county,  ex- 
claimed, "I  met  the  prettiest  lady  to-day  I  ever  saw  I"  This 
she  said  to  Smith's  son-in-law.  And  when  he  told  it  to  Mrs. 
Smith,  she  replied,  "She  is  much  blinded."  And  if  it  had 
been  so,  what  cared  she  for  beauty  now,  since  it  was  all  lost 
on  a  dotard  of  a  jealous  husband.  "  Beauty  of  personal 
appearance"  said  she,  "is  not  my  delight  only.  It  is  beauty 
of  soul  that  I  admire ;  if  I  dare  do  it,  would  long  for  it. 
But  now  I  shall  never  see  it,  I  fear.  '  And  as  a  jewel  in  a 
swine's  snout,  so  is  a  beautiful  woman  without  discretion.' 
'  Beauty  is  vain,  and  favor  is  deceitful ;  but  a  vroman  that 
feareth  the  Lord,  she  shall  be  praised.'  This  is  the  beauty 
that  is  desirable,  this  is  the  gem  that  outshines  all  other 
gems  — '  the  fear  of  the  Lord.'  It  is  the  beginning  of  wis- 
dom. It  is  the  gem  I  hope  will  be  in  my  crown  when  all 
others  are  dim." 

Smith,  although  a  man  possessed  of  some  good  qualities, 
good  natural  abilities,  and  at  times  some  seeming  amiability, 
was,  from  some  influence  or  other,  perhaps  from  long 
habits  indulged  in,  and  living  as  he  should  not  have  done, 
subject,  besides  his  jealousies  and  mulish  disposition, 
to  a  wavering  of  purpose,  that  marred  very  much  the  sta- 
bility of  his  character.  He  was  in  many  things  unstable 
as  water,  and  was  more  apt  to  be  firmer,  or  more  stubborn, 
in  a  wrong  cause  than  a  right  one ;  which  perhaps  was  the 
result  of  the  lack  of  the  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes,  an  utter 
want  of  that  moral  stamina  "  which  is  sure  it  is  right,  and 
then  goes  ahead,"  and  a  lack  of  a  liberal  education  —  his 
opportunities  to  acquire  knowledge  having  been  limited. 
With  all  this,  too,  was  added  a  kind  of  egotism  common  to 


152 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


vain  minds,  which  no  one  but  his  wife  or  some  of  his  family- 
would  ever  have  thought  entered  his  head.  He  would  fre- 
quently be  asking  his  wife  what  her  mother  and  sister 
thought  of  her  situation.  "I  do  not  know/'  she  replied. 
"I  do  not  suppose  they  think  it  very  flattering."  And 
within  her  own  soul  said,  "  If  they  do,  I  do  not.  What  are 
a  few  negroes,  a  very  common  house  and  land,  and  many 
children,  a  jealous,  mulish  husband,  in  comparison  with  a  ^ 
life  of  happiness  to  a  poor  soul,  a  broken-hearted  woman 
crowded  every  day  of  the  world  with  something  or  another 
to  corrode  and  root  out  all  peace  ?  "  This  was  said  within 
her  secret  soul.  For  with  all  her  hopefulness,  and  a  dis- 
position always  to  make  the  best  of  everything,  yet  the  truth, 
the  awful  truth,  would  force  itself  on  her  quick  mind,  and 
she  could  not  help  seeing  things  in  their  proper  light  — 
their  true  colors.  No  girl  who  had  been  as  popular  as  she 
was  before  her  marriage,  with  bright  hopes  and  "  brilliant 
talents,"  as  a  friend  called  hers,  but  would  have  regretted, 
long  before  she  did,  this  unfortunate  "  situation,"  which  had 
been  fraught  with  not  only  misery  and  sorrow,  but  with 
untold  secret  woes  that  must  be  borne  forever  alone  by  her- 
self. Situation,  indeed !  The  man  must  have  been  a  fool, 
or  vanity  itself  personified ;  or  perhaps  this  was  the  pride  of 
the  almighty  negro.  The  most  perfect  hoosier  who  pos- 
sessed a  score  of  these  —  then  indispensables  —  thought  that 
the  most  refined,  most  cultivated  young  lady,  whose  sensi-  • 
bilities  were  as  high  as  heaven,  ought  to  think  it  infinite 
condescension  for  him  to  marry  her;  for  which  exalted 
favor  she  should  worship  at  his  feet,  kiss  the  ground  he 
would  walk  upon,  crawl  as  a  menial  in  servitude  to  him, 
and  all  about  him,  no  matter  how  she  was  treated.  Situa- 
tion! alas!  one  in  which  she  was  not  likely  to  get  much 
sympathy — no  matter  how  amiable — it  could  be  perceived. 
She  was  secretive  of  trouble;  besides,  the  deception  of  the 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


153 


human  heart  is  fearful  in  its  consequences.  She  might,  in 
great  sorrow,  tell  some  of  her  troubles,  and  perhaps  hear 
them  again,  sadly  misrepresented  and  greatly  distorted,  as 
has  been  done  in  thousands  of  instances.  She  would  bear 
them  all  before  God,  in  sacred  and  subdued  silence ;  and 
perhaps  some  day, He  might  vindicate  her  righteous  cause, 
as  Me  has  done  in  his  mercy,  and  will  do  through  eternity. 

Eeader,  dear  lady,  whether  you  are  a  young  or  old  mar- 
ried lady,  this  is  the  best  course.  Heartlessness,  frivolity, 
and  vanity  are  very  common  traits  of  character  among  both 
men  and  women.  And  where  you  would  find  one  pure- 
hearted,  sympathizing  friend  of  either  sex,  you  will,  in  all 
probability,  find  five  hundred  of  an  opposite  mind  and  dis- 
position. "  It  is  her  fault,"  exclaims  one  of  your  quandam 
confidants. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

TROUBLES  MULTIPLY. 

HOW  would  you  like  that,  dear  lady  ?  Would  it  help 
you  any  ?  Or  would  it  not  be  a  fresh  dart,  whose  poi- 
soned point  would  smell  very  much  of  treachery  ?  and  would 
•  the  fresh  poisoned  stab  mend  and  heal  your  other  wounds  ? 
Beware !  And  if  you  have  a  man  who  is  not  a  husband  in 
the  full  sense  of  the  word,  and  to  whom  you  cannot  tell  the 
sorrows  of  your  heart,  (which  you  cannot  do,  if  he  is  the 
cause  of  them,)  tell  them  to  none  on  this  earth,  but  call 
on  the  Lord  day  and  night,  who  has  promised  to  hear  "thee 
in  a  day  of  trouble."  "  Hum ! "  says  one,  "  He  seems  a  long 
time  about  it,  in  the  case  of  your  heroine."  "  The  Lord  is 
not  slack  concerning  promises,  as  some  men  count  slack- 


154 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


ness."    There  will  be  a  reckoning  of  these  matters  some  day, 
"  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it." 

But  Smith  had  vanity  enough  to  think,  nay,  even  hint 
at  times,  that  because  he  had  a  few  negroes  and  some  chil- 
dren, his  wife  ought  to  think  herself  in  a  king's  palace ; 
which,  indeed,  she  would  have  done,  if  he  had  permitted  her 
in  the  proper  way.  And  here  was  the  trouble  from  out- 
siders, with  such  a  glare  of  wealth,  or  even  the  semblance  of 
it.  Such  was  the  estimate  in  those  days  set  upon  the  posses- 
sion of  negroes,  that  any  one  who  married  where  there  were 
twenty,  thirty,  forty,  or  fifty  (oh,  heavens !)  of  these  crea- 
tures, was  thought  to  have  gone  into  an  earthly  paradise. 
Great  mistake !  They  never  give  happiness ;  but  when  well- 
managed,  a  good  master  and  mistress,  and  good  servants,  are 
an  invaluable  acquisition,  in  the  way  of  comfort,  on  both  sides. 
But  then  one  might  have  this  comfort,  as  Mrs.  Smith  did  in 
many  instances,  from  these  poor,  creatures,  who  were  not  all 
disaffected  and  ungrateful,  for  she  was  very  good  to  them. 
But  there  was  one  drawback  in  even  this  —  Smith's  chil- 
dren would  rather  have  seen  their  father's  wife  in  Gehenna,  1 
than  for  the  negroes  to  mind  her ;  hence,  they  played  wild 
work  with  some  of  the  poor,  ignorant,  unlettered,  and  unin- 
formed young  members  of  the  dark  tribes,  and  caused  much 
trouble  from  this  quarter. 

But  Mrs.  Smith  was  not  a  fool,  and  hence  could  not  see 
the  tinsel  of  a  small,  or  even  a  great,  portion  of  wealth  in 
the  light  of  fools.  She  longed,  she  sighed,  to  be  happy. 
And  this  great  boon  could  not  he  based  upon  a  crumbling 
and  sandy  foundation.  To  one  of  her  long-seeing  into  the 
distant  future,  —  having  the  fortune,  or  misfortune,  of  talcing 
the  whole  situation  in  from  beginning  to  end,  —  a  fear  ever 
arose  that,  notwithstanding  all  her  prudence  and  caution, 
the  chances  were  ten  thousand  to  one  that  she  might  be 
crushed  beneath  the  ruins  of  this  crumbling,  tottering  build- 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


155 


ingi  All  her  own  silence  might  avail  nothing,  wlien  there 
might  be  so  many  blazoned  mouths,  opened  wide  as  a  can- 
non's mouth,  in  another  direction,  should  he  ever  belch 
forth  his  furies  and  jealousies  before  his  negroes  and  chil- 
dren, to  which  she  saw  he  was  fast  approaching ;  for  he  was 
not  in  possession  of  prudence  or  self-command  enough  to 
prevent  himself  from  belching  out  in  a  mad  fit  anything 
that  might  arise  in  his  mind.  And  hence  Ms  oft-repeated 
sayings,  with  regard  to  the  children,  that  a  bad  beginning 
on  their  part  would  have  a  good  ending,  inspired  no  faith,  no 
hope,  no  confidence  in  Mrs.  Smith's  mind  ;  for  how  could  tJiey 
go  higher  than  the  founiain  ?  And  being  so  much  better  and 
longer  acquainted  with  their  father  than  his  wife  had  been, 
did  they  not  often  see  the  working  of  his  mind,  and  under- 
stand it  ?  Though  he  would  storm  and  rail  at  them  before 
his  wife,  if  they  saw  his  double  hand,  what  effect  would  such 
a  course  have  on  them,  but  tenfold  more  hate  than  they 
would  have  had  without  these  influences  and  surmises  of 
their  father's  secret  mind. 

"  I  don't  think  Pa  will  ever  get  married  again,"  said  one 
of  the  loveliest  of  Mrs.  Smith's  enemies, — these  misguided 
children.  The  second  daughter  said  it  in  her  presence.  How 
would  you  have  felt,  nice,  sensitive,  high-minded,  proud 
young  lady,  under  the  effects  of  such  a  complimentary 
speech  made  in  your  presence  by  one  who  was,  although 
your  Edomite  cousin,  also  your  inferior  in  everything  in 
this  world.  All  but  "her  Pa  had  property."  I  repeat, 
how  would  you  have  felt  ?  "Would  you  have  spoken  in 
reply  to  this  side  attack  on  you,  or  would  you  have  main- 
tained your  silence  and  held  your  peace,  as  Mrs.  Smith  did, 
feeling  the  utmost  contempt  and  disgust  for  her,  and  won- 
dering where  she  got  her  interesting  information?  If  she 
had  not  been  purity  and  want  of  suspicion  personified,  she 
might  have  wondered  if  he,  the  mighty  father  and  husband, 


156 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


had  had  a  holy  confab  with  this  very  amiable  daughter ;  for 
it  was  uttered  the  very  same  winter  after  Mrs.  Smith  had 
influenced  him  to  send  this  daughter  abroad  to  school,  but 
not  to  pay  the  five  hundred  dollars'  extra  expense,  as  he  had 
to'  pay,  through  her  extravagant  conduct  while  at  school. 

Mrs.  Smith  very  complacently  thought  within  her  soul, 
she  hoped  he  never  would  get  married  again ;  for,  in  order 
to  have  an  opportunity  to  do  so,  she  must  die,  and  that  she 
did  not  wish  to  do,  if  it  were  the  Lord's  will  otherwise.  She 
did  not  wish  to  please  her  enemies  so  well. 

One  day,  all  the  younger  members  of  the  white  family 
had  gone  on  a  visit  in  the  neighborhood.  Mrs.  Smith's 
mother  had  thought  of  going  with  the  young  people,  but  had 
declined.  Some  time  prior  to  this,  when  Mrs.  Smith  was  at 
church,  she  had  subscribed  and  paid  for  the  "  Charleston 
Christian  Advocate  and  Journal,"  when  it  was  first  pub- 
lished as  a  Southern  paper.  On  this  day,  the  young  people 
being  absent.  Smith's  son-in-law  went  to  town,  and,  as  Mrs. 
Smith's  paper  had  arrived,  he  brought  it  home  to  her ; 
stopped  at  the  gate,  and  called  Mrs.  Smith  to  take  the  first 
number  of  the  paper,  for  he  was  very  much  in  favor  of 
the  enterprise,  and  had  subscribed  for  it  himself.  Mrs.  Smith 
took  the  paper  and  laid  it  down,  and  went  about  her  house- 
hold affairs ;  afterwards  she  thought  of  it,  and  handed  it  to 
her  husband  to  read,  thinking  perhaps  he  would  like  it.  We 
do  not  think  she  had  mentioned  the  circumstance  of  send- 
ing for  the  paper.  But  she  rarely  ever  acted  in  even  the 
smallest  matter  without  consulting  him,  mentioning  what- 
ever she  did  to  him.  But  he  not  being  present  when  she 
subscribed,  was  perhaps  the  reason  he  knew  not  of  it.  For 
if  she  did  not  tell  him  before,  she  was  sure  to  do  it  after- 
wards. But  this  matter  had  not  been  mentioned  to  him. 
This  was  perhaps  the  cause  of  what  followed. 

They  were  together,  and  she  spoke  again  of  making  some 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWIKE. 


157 


preserves,  it  being  fruit  time,  when  fruits  of  various  kinds 
were  in  good  order  for  preserving.  He  had  rather  demurred 
again  on  the  subject  of  preserve-making.  Mrs.  Smith  re- 
plied something  like  she  thought  she  was  to  do  as  she 
pleased  about  the  matter.  And  this,  we  suppose,  was  on  his 
mind,  festering  and  fermenting,  and  then  came  the  well- 
timed  excuse.  As  soon  as  he  saw  the  paper,  he  flew  into  a 
most  violent  passion,  railed  out  at  his  wife,  and  poured  forth 
such  a  flood  of  abuse — not  regarding,  now,  the  presence  of 
Mrs.  Smith's  mother  or  the  negroes.  Would  not  read  the 
paper ;  but  boiling  bigger  and  bigger,  hotter  and  hotter,  took 
it  up  deliberately  and  cast  it  into  the  fire  and  consumed  it ! 
Bravo !  Mr.  Smith !  Beautiful  Methodist !  That  was  a 
Methodist  paper !  What  did  you  burn  it  for  ?  It  had  a 
heap  of  good  reading  in  it.  We  declare  you  ought  to  be 
dealt  with  for  such  sacrilege!  What's  the  matter  with 
you  ?  Are  you  demented  ?  Is  this  the  delightful  situation 
of  which  you  think  your  wife  ought  to  be  so  proud  ?  Ha ! 
ha!  ha!  that  paper  cost  only  two  dollais,  and  it  is  paid  for, 
and  we  would  not  cut  such  swells  and  shines,  and  make 
such  a  baboon  show  of  our  humble  self,  for  much  more  than 
two  dollars.  Nay,  more ;  we  think  we  would  be  under  the 
necessity  of  having  large  sums  like  Jenny  Lind,  the  Chap- 
man sisters,  or  some  other  popular  actor  or  actress  who  get 
well  paid,  before  we  could  cut  such  antics  as  you  do  for  so 
small  a  sum.  And  what,  in  the  name  of  all  that  is  good, 
could  you  have  against  your  wife  getting  the  paper  ?  Did 
you  not  tell  her  to  do  as  she  pleased  ?  Did  she  not  also 
carry  more  than  two  dollars  with  her,  in  silver,  which  she 
paid  out  for  the  making  of  the  first  bonnets  she  had  made 
for  your  daughters  —  second  and  third  daughters  ?  That 
money  would  have  paid  for  the  paper,  and  no  boot  asked 
of  you.  Is  this  the  beautiful  friend  supporting  her,  when, 
before  your  marriage,  she  spake  of  her  school  ?  Sir,  did 
14 


Id8 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


you  think  you  married  a  fool — a  menial  slave  instead  of  a 
lady  f  Did  you  talk  and  act  this  way  when  courting  her  ? 
Would  to  heaven  you  had  shown  a  few  of  these  fiery  sparks ! 
If  you  had,  she  would  have  fled  from  you  as  from  the  face 
of  a  serpent ;  nor  would  she  ever  have  stopped  till  she  had 
reached  the  end  of  the  world,  if  that  had  been  necessary  to 
get  out  of  your  beautiful  presence,  as  you  appeared  on  this 
occasion.  Why,  your  shout  was  "  the  shout  of  a  king  in  a 
camp," 

You  are  waging  a  great  warfare  and  fighting  a  great 
battle.  Victory  \  victory !  surely  will  be  all  your  own. 
And  what  conquest  did  you  make,  Mr.  Smith  ?  Why,  we 
suppose  you  conquered  one  'poor  little  iiewspaper  !  For  we 
vow  you  did  not  conquer  your  wife.  This  is  what  we  here 
in  the  Southern  States  call  overrunning — not  conquering, 
of  which  we  have  had  in  these  latter  days  awful  examples. 
"  The  weapons  of  your  warfare  are  carnal,"  therefore  could 
never  be  used  or  wielded  successfully  against  spirit  and  mind. 
Your  battering-rams  could  never  beat  down  her  fortifica- 
tions, for  they  were  built  of  Ood.  The  high  tower  of  his 
word  of  eternal  truth,  into  which  she  continually  resorted, 
^nd  found  a  sure  habitation,  so  that  none  of  your  artillery 
of  Gehenna  (for  it  was  not  of  heaven)  damaged  her  soul. 
It  only  elevated  her  Jar  above,  and  caused  her  to  see  more 
clearly  to  what  depths  of  degradation  you  were  fallen  into 
despotism.  For  one  minute  telling  her  "to  do  as  she 
pleased,"  and  the  next  scattering  fire-brands,  hailstones,  and 
tornadoes  of  words  about  so  trivial  a  matter  as  only  two 
dollars  for  a  religious  newspaper;  it  paid  for,  too!  Who 
would  ever  know  how  to  take  you?  We  '11  tell  you  how  you 
would  have  been  taken — to  be  one  of  the  greatest  madmen 
the  world  ever  saw ;  and  so  you  would  have  been  thought, 
if  your  public  ways  had  been  like  your  private  character, 
A  man's  private  character  is  his  real  one,  whether  the  world 
knows  it  or  not. 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


159 


Mrs.  Smitli  said  nothing  to  him  eitlier  good  or  bad,  but 
her  poor  mother  was  terrified.  She,  who  through  all  her 
married  lifetime  had  suifered  under  a  drunken  husband,  had 
flattered  herself  that  her  darling  daughter  was  exempt  from 
such  tyrannv.  This  was  equal  to  the  drunken  father,  with- 
out the  excuse  of  drunkenness.  But  was  he  not  drunk  with 
passion?  And  is  there  much  difference  between  the  two ? 
We,  for  our  part,  would  prefer  the  drunkard.  Then  we  # 
could  have  some  token  when  the  fits  were  coming  on  him, 
when  the  mighty  spirit  ^'spirits)  were  about,  and  perchance 
could  get  out  of  his  way  before  he  grew  frantic  with  rage. 
But  the  poor  mother  had  thought  that  Grace  did  everything 
pretty  much  as  she  pleased.  She  said  to  her  one  day, 
before  this,  that  if  she  had  such  a  husband,  she  would  think 
herself  very  happy.  But  now  behold  her  mistake  I  She 
was  like  the  old  lady  of  the  last  winter  —  vastly  deceived  I 
For  ]Mi'S.  Smith  had  never  even  told  her  mother  any  of 
Smith's  doings  but  the  good,  and  did  not  contradict  -the 
idea  that  he  was  a  good  hu-shancLv^hiQli  he  seemed  to  be  at 
times  by  fits  and  starts.  But  so  taciturn  had  Mrs.  Smith 
been  about  her  husband's  ill-treatment  of  her,  that  one  day, 
during  her  visit  to  her  mother,  before  she  came  home  with 
her.  she  said  to  her  daughter  that  her  fither  had  talked 
with  a  fortune-teller  about  the  fortunes  of  his  married 
daughters,  and  said  she  to  him,  "Your  eldest  daughter  is 
not  happy,  because  her  husband  is  jealous."  But  said  the 
mother  to  Mrs  Smith,  "  I  did  not  believe  it :  I  knew  it  was 
false."  Mrs.  Smith  never  felt  more  badly  in  her  life,  to 
think  that  an  old  fortune-teller  could  find  out  her  treasures 
of  sorrow  at  the  distance  of  more  than  a  hundred  miles, 
when  she  had  never  seen  her,  nor  heard  of  her  before.  >hQ 
evaded  a  direct  reply  to  her  mother,  walked  out  into  the 
garden,  and  told  her  nothing  at  all.  But  now  the  poor 
lady's  eyes  were  opened.    And  she  said  to  her  daughter, 


160 


BEEAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


"Did  Mr.  Smith  ever  talk  that  way  to  you  before?"  To 
which  question  she  made  no  reply ;  but  one  of  the  servant 
girls  said,  "  Yes,  old  mistress  ;  he  is  always  doing  and  say- 
ing something  he  has  no  business."  This  was  the  expressed 
opinion  of  one  of  his  servants.  "  W ell,"  said  the  distressed 
woman  and  mother,  "  I  wish  I  had  gone  abroad  to-day  with 
the  young  folks,  for  I  would  not  have  had  heard  it,  if  I 
could  have  helped  it,  for  twenty  dollars,  so  well  did  I  think 
of  him." 

Not  long  after  this  Smith  was  in  a  pet  again  about  the 
sugar  not  lasting  longer,  saying  the  negroes  must  have 
stolen  it,  and  that  there  was  more  in  the  barrel  than  there 
really  had  been.  Mrs.  Smith  always  kept  the  bills  of  every 
article  of  food  purchased  for  the  family,  and  was  as  careful 
as  it  was  possible  to  be  in  order  to  let  the  children  have 
what  they  wanted,  and  the  servants,  when  they  came  and 
asked  for  a  little,  and  not  to  send  them  away  empty.  She 
did  not  say  much  to  him ;  she  rarely  ever  did,  knowing  it 
was  no  use  arguing  with  an  angry  man  any  more  than  a 
drunken  one.  And  to  her  high  sense  and  lofty  notions  of  how 
the  heads  of  a  family  ought  to  demean  themselves  before  their 
family,  such  a  course  she  thought  disgraceful  and  degrading 
in  their  sight.  She  could  bear  his  tirade  no  longer,  but 
broke  olF  into  the  garden,  sat  down  in  a  corner  moped  up, 
thinking.  Her  young  and  beautiful  sister  came  into  the 
garden,  and  said : 

"  What 's  the  matter  with  you  now,  Grace  ?  " 

"  Oh,  nothing,"  she  replied. 

"  But,"  said  the  sister,  "  I  know  there  is." 

She  had  not  heard  Smith  talking  to  her  in  the  house. 

On  one  occasion.  Smith  had  sent  to  market  to  get  some 
books  for  his  wife  at  her  request,  for  they  had  few  in  the 
house,  except  those  carried  there  by  her.  And  when  the 
books  came,  Mrs.  Smith,  eager  to  look  at  the  title-page  of  the 


AND   HUSKS   OF   STTINE.  161 

first  volume,  said,  "  Give  me  the  first  volume  to  look  at,  Mr. 
Smitli,  for  I  never  feel  the  same  interest  in  a  work  as  I  do 
when  I  can  see  the  beginning."  This  made  him  so  mad, 
that  he  threw  the  b>)ok  down,  and  would  not  look  at  it  any- 
more. We  suppose  he  wished  to  look  at  it  himself  But 
we  declare  that,  for  the  life  within  us,  we  can  scarcely  refrain 
from  laughing  sometimes  outright  at  the  details  of  such 
conduct  for  a  man  over  forty  years  of  age.  So  much  like 
a  poor,  foolish,  spoiled,  jDettish  child.  It  is  a  pity  he  had  not 
had  a  child  to  deal  with  instead  of  a  woman. 

He  told  his  present  wife  that  one  Saturday  evening,  during 
the  earlier  days  of  his  foimer  marriage,  he  and  his  wife  set  out 
to  see  her  father.  It  being  rather  an  unfavorable  evening, 
drizzling  rain,  and  she  having  put  on  a  very  fine  new  shawl 
he  had  bought  for  her,  he  simply  asked  her,  "If  she  was 
going  to  wear  it  in  the  rain  ? "  At  which  she  became  vexed, 
and  threw  it  off"  her  shoulders  down  on  the  ground  in  the 
rain,  and  that  he,  having  a  small  switch  in  his  hand, 
whipped  her  with  it,  and  made  her  take  it  up  and  put  it 
on  again.  "  But,"  said  he,  "  she  wished  to  wear  it  because 
her  parents  had  bought  no  such  shawls  for  her  during  her 
girlhood." 

The  way  Mrs.  Smith  came  to  hear  of  it  was  this.  The 
second  daughter,  who  said,  "  She  reckoned  Pa  would 
not  marry  again,"  said  to  Mrs.  Smith's  sister,  one  day, 
after  taking  cognizance  of  some  of  his  unguarded  speeches 
about  the  provisions,  "  That  she  feared  her  Pa  was  going 
to  be  an  unkind  husband  again.  That  Aunt  such  an  one," 
naming  one  of  the  negroes,  "said  her  Pa  had  whipped 
her  Ma ;  and  she  knew  he  was  not  so  kind  to  her  mother  as 
he  ought  to  have  been  —  that  he  made  her  lie  out  all  night, 
on  one  occasion,  with  one  of  the  old  family  servants."  Xow 
when  Mrs.  Smith  questioned  Smith  about  the  whipping 
affair,  this  waa  his  version  of  it.  And  about  the  staying 
14*  L 


162  BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 

out  all  night  is  rather  too  ridiculous  to  write  for  the  public 
eye.  It  is  very  much  like  a  couple  of  children  in  the  shawl 
case,  and  unpardonable  in  him  to  strike  her. 

But  to  return  to  the  books.  One  night,  shortly  after,  she 
was  reading,  and  he  lying  down  before  the  fire.  He  wished 
her  to  leave  off  reading  and  retire  to  bed.  Although  a 
constant  reader  before  her  marriage,  she  had  done  but 
little  of  it  since  for  more  than  a  year.  She  had  employed 
her  time  .in  getting  the  house  in  order,  and  in  trying  to 
keep  it  so,  and  had  not  even  read  her  Bible  half  as  much  as 
she  wished,  nor  half  so  much  as  she  had  been  used  to  do. 
This  time  she  Avas  amused  at  his  ordering  her  to  stop  read- 
ing and  go  to  bed,  and  wondered  at  his  total  want  of  reading 
and  searching  for  food  for  his  mind.  And  if  she  had  not 
had  her  mind  well  stored  before  marriage,  she  would  have 
been  half  starved  for  intellectual  food  by  this  time.  She 
said  something  to  him  on  this  occasion,  in  reference  to  read- 
ing, rather  funny  and  cutting,  which  she  could  do  when 
pressed  too  much.  If  she  spoke  at  all,  it  was  sure  to  have 
a  point  when  forced,  for  with  all  her  seriousness  there  was 
at  times  a  vein  of  innocent  mischief  and  striking  wit  that 
was  sure  to  cut  an  adversary,  unless  he  was  of  a  generous 
nature,  to  give  and  take,  and  consider  if  he  had  not  pro- 
voked it.  And  then  Smith  jumped  up  from  his  pallet  in 
hasty  pettishness,  and  looked  at  a  cowhide  which  hung  on 
some  nails  on  the  wall.  This  caused  her  to  laugh  in  her 
sleeve,  though  not  a  word  nor  a  look  did  she  give  him. 
And  not  another  word  did  he  say.  But  this  was  the  second 
time  "  the  whip  "  had  been  hinted  at  and  looked  at.  And  in 
her  inmost  soul  she  said,  "  Well,  my  good  fellow,  it  is  a  little 
funny  to  see  you  look  at  cowhides  and  talk  of  whips ;  but  woe 
to  you  the  day  or  night  you  use  one  on  me !  I  never  will  do 
anything  to  deserve  this  from  you,  and  you  shall  never  use 
one  on  me  with  impunity."    Her  patience,  at  times  being 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


163 


put  to  the  severest  tests,  need  not  be  expected  to  last  forever 
under  all  circumstances.  At  the  time  of  the  paper  burning, — 
that  glorious  triumph  ! — he  went  off  into  another  room,  and 
pretended  to  be  writing  his  will.  And  T^hen  she  v/ent  to 
him  to  see  what  he  was  doing,  he  sa,id,  "  You  and  I  are 
no  more  one!  I  will  give  you  four  of  the  best  negro  fel- 
lows I  have."  But  she,  knowing  liis  fickleness  and  freaks, 
made  no  reply  to  these'  gracious  propositions,  but  took 
hold  of  him  and  led  him  to  the  dinner-table.  Then  he  ate 
his  dinner,  and  the  matter  rested  bet  ween  them  about  the 
paper;  and  we  do  not  know  that  it  ever  was  alluded  to 
again  by  them.  We  never  knew  what  was  said  within 
among  the  servants. 

One  night  during  these  times  she  ivas  compelled  to  get  up 
and  go  out  into  the  night  air,  which  she  did  very  reluc- 
tantly, on  account  of  her  delicate  health  —  it  being  late  in 
autumn  —  but  she  did  it  to  avoid  some  things  very  un- 
pleasant from  some  other  sources  of  trouble  from  this  very 
W'icked  and  vulgar  family.  And  when  she  went  in  Smith 
accused  her  of  going  to  meet  Evans !  O  God,  this  was  a 
trial,  and  one  that  it  seemed  would  never  end !  She  thought 
this  was  capping  the  climax  of  misery.  What  to  say,  she 
knew  not,  for  it  seemed  as  if  he  had  already  exhausted  the 
vocabulary  of  hell  to  wreck  on  her  defenceless  head  !  And 
it  happened  this  time  that  this  matter  got  out  among  some 
of  the  negroes  by  their  hearing  it ;  for  we  verily  believe 
that  some  of  them  used  to  eavesdrop  the  house,  to  hear 
what  he  would  say  of  nights,  because  they  could  never  get 
anything  from  the  mistress,  as  it  was  said  they  did  from 
their  former  mistress ;  the  poorest  thing  a  persecuted  wife 
could  ever  do  —  to  tell  her  servants  what  the  master  did  to 
her.  No  wonder  they  were  under  no  subordination  at  all, 
but  considered  themselves  her  equal,  and  obeyed  when  it 
pleased  them. 

Mrs.  Smith's  sister  heard  it,  and  told  Evans's  wife  of  itj 


164 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


and  he  went  to  his  father  about  it,  and  said,  "  Pa,  what  do 
you  think?  Smith  is  jealous  of  his  wife  and  me."  But 
the  old  gentleman,  having  known  Smith  for  twenty  years, 
while  his  daughter's  husband,  told  him  to  take  no  notice  of 
it ;  but  for  which  there  might  have  been  some  altercation, 
if  nothing  more,  among  the  parties,  to  prevent  which  Mrs. 
Smith  had  all  this  time  endured  this  torture.  Nor  did  it 
get  out  now  by  her  means.  And  we  doubt,  if  Evans  had 
mentioned  it  to  Smith,  whether  he  would  have  owned  it,  if 
there  had  been  any  way  to  get  round  it,  so  much  did  he 
do  these  things  in  a  corner,  and  so  sly  was  he  about  it.  No 
one  must  hear  it  but  his  victim.  But  it  was  one  of  Evans's 
servants  who  heard  this  time.  Evans's  mother,  in  her 
laconic  style,  exclaimed,  "  I  reckon  he  is  no  more  jealous 
of  this  wife  than  the  other,"  meaning  her  daughter,  his 
first  wife,  whom  Smith  said  used  to  tell  him  of  their  own 
negroes.  Whether  with  or  without  cause,  heaven  only 
knows,  but  his  present  wife  was  too  elevated  in  her  senti- 
ments to  tantalize  him  with  anything  of  the  kind,  even  if 
she  had  not  been  too  ignorant  and  innocent  herself,  and 
still  ignorant  of  his  conduct  —  too  much  so,  at  least,  to  sus- 
pect him.  But  why  should  she  not  have  thought  ?  Because 
she  knew  not  then  that  one  who  was  almost  forever  suspect- 
ing some  one  else,  and  that  a  pure  wife,  too,  must  be  guilty 
himself. 

Mrs.  Smith  was  sorry  that  the  matter  had  been  told. 
Under  all  these  painful  trials  she  had  hoped,  by  keeping  all 
within  her  own  breast,  she  might  be  as  the  wise  woman  in 
the  book  of  Proverbs,  which  says,  "  Every  wise  woman 
buildeth  up  her  house ;  but  the  foolish  one  pulleth  it  down 
with  her  hands."  Whether  this  passage  of  Holy  Writ  had 
any  application  to  her  case  or  not,  it  was  often  applied  t'o 
her  mind  during  these  mournful  days. 

Smith  was  very  angry  because  this  matter  had  been  told. 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SV^INE. 


165 


He  threatened  to  whip  one  of  Evans's  negroes  for  coming 
on  liis  premises,  and  looked  vengeance  at  his  wife's  sister, 
so  much  so  that  she  went  from  his  house  to  stay  with 
Evans's  wife,  who  was  very  fond  of  her.  Smith  was  foolish 
enough,  after  all,  to  say,  "  Why  did  not  Evans  come  and 
talk  with  him  ?  He  had  no  grounds  for  such  thoughts,  and 
he  would  have  believed  him."  A  fine  story,  indeed;  as 
though  a  man  must  go  after  his  fierce  accuser,  of  even  the 
worst  crimes,  and  tell  him  it  was  false. 

But  we  sometimes  think  in  retrospect,  reflecting  on 
these  disagreeable  w^hims  of  passion  from  our  hero,  that  it 
was  the  imbecility  of  his  mind,  for  want  of  being  supported 
by  the  grace  of  God  and  a  correct  knowledge  and  sound 
reason,  especially  on  some  subjects.  If  some  one  had  spoken 
to  him  in  whom  he  could  have  had  confidence,  and  who  would 
not  have  pandered  to  his  vices  or  fed  the  flame,  and  pitied 
him,  and  been  very  sorry  for  him,  as  if  he  was  the  victim,  in- 
stead of  the  aggressor  in  these  awful  jealousies,  which  he  him- 
self did  not  believe  in  a  sane  state  of  mind,  perhaps  he  might 
have  been  persuaded  to  desist.  But  it  is  a  mere  perhaps, 
as  there  were  few  in  whom  he  had  confidence,  if  we  are  to 
judge  from  his  private  words  to  his  wife.  Hence  the  dan- 
ger, the  inveteracy  of  his  disease  or  passions ;  as  it  is  a  fixed 
and  undeniable  fact,  drawn  from  long  experience  and  ob- 
servation, that  when  an  individual,  male  or  female,  has 
confidence  in  no  one,  it  is  a  true  mark  of  a  dark  spot  about 
his  own  heart.  This  is  an  unchangeable  axiom.  Can  the 
"Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots?" 
And  none  but  God  can  change  the  heart ;  and  will  He,  the 
Almighty  Omnipotence  himself,  change  a  man's  heart,  when 
he  is  ever  running  away  from  Him,  and  resisting  and  doing 
despite  to  His  spirit  of  grace  ?  But  Smith  had  no  advice 
on  the  subject  in  those  days,  nothing  but  his  own  dark  mind 
to  commune  with ;  and  thus  he  went  on  persecuting  one  of 


166 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEK, 


God's  fairest  creatures  without  cause,"  and  without  provoca- 
tion, almost  to  death.  Indeed,  v/hen  we  take  a  review  of 
this  matter,  it  is  ten  thousand  wonders  that  she  ever  did  live 
under  these  peculiar  circumstances.  But  the  sustaining 
power  with  her  was  the  "  peace  of  God  that  passeth  under- 
standing." She  could  look  upwards  to  heaven,  and  say, 
with  "  unpresumptuous  smile,"  "  I  am  at  peace  with  God." 

As  a  legitimate  natural  result,  she  bore  about  a  death  of 
social  and  conjugal  enjoyment  that  none  knew  but  God. 
To  be  forever  bearing  in  one's  mind  a  dreadful  mystery,  is 
a  death  or  dearth  of  the  worst  kind,  to  a  sensitive,  loving 
spirit,  whose  tendrils  of  soul  had  always  longed  for  some- 
thing good,  great,  and  noble  upon  which  to  recline  —  to 
cling  to.  And  this  mystery,  to  her  so  mystifying,  she  would 
have  been  ashamed  to  have  had  it  mentioned  in  any  crowd 
in  the  world,  to  any  person.  Query.  Would  he  not  have 
denied  it  ?    We  believe  he  would  at  that  period  of  time. 

Well,  hauling  or  calling  up  these  ghosts  of  the  past,  and 
of  the  deep  of  the  heart,  passed  and  forgotten  by  many, 
more  than  thirty  years  ago,  is  not  so  pleasant  as  one  might 
suppose,  either  in  hot  summer  days  or  in  cold  winter  days. 
It  is  a  long  and  almost  endless  task,  these  memories  of 
Smith's  conduct  towards  his  helpless  wife. 

If  Mrs.  Smith  could  have  had  in  those  days  what  ladies 
and  gentlemen  both,  we  believe,  call  spunk  enough  to  have 
aroused  herself,  and  had  known  her  power  to  assert  her 
rights,  and  would  have  talked  warlike  to  this  pesty  belliger- 
ent party,  and  had  been  bold-spirited  enough  to  have  told 
him  fearlessly  that  she  would  bear  his  billingsgate  no  longer, 
that  he  must  prove  these  things,  or  else  she  would  leave  his 
bed  and  board  forever,  it  might  have  had  a  good  effect  — • 
that  of  stopping  his  mouth  forever!  But  she  never  even 
alluded  to  such  a  thing.  Of  which  he  must  have  had  some 
sapient  or  hidden  fear  from  the  beginning;  for  one  day, 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


167 


wlien  she  was  sufFericv  from  headaclie  and  want  of  quiet, 
long  before  the  trij)  to  the  fatal  camp-meeting,  she  simply 
said,  "Oh,  I  can't  stand  the  noise  and  confusion."  He  re- 
plied, almost  whining,  "  My  dear,  I  can't  help  it,  if  you  leave 
me."  Pf  which  Mrs.  Smith  had  no  more  thought  than  of 
flying  without  wings.  She  only  wished  that  there  could  be 
less  noise  and  disturbance  from  the  household,  which,  in- 
.deed,  was  a  rational  wish  on  her  part.  And  any  man  who 
was  master  of  his  own  house,  could  have  commanded  this ; 
and  it  would  have  been  satisfactory  to  her — all  that  she 
wished.  One  of  the  old  servants  told  Mrs.  Smith  that  when 
she  was  out  at  Smith's  in  the  summer  before  their  marriage, 
about  the  school  they  had  in  question,  that  Smith  took  one 
of  the  boys,  the  third  son,  out  behind  the  carriage-house, 
and  whipped  him  for  making  too  much  noise  in  the  house. 
A  boy  then  ten  or  eleven  years  old,  which,  if  Mrs.  Smith 
had  known,  she  would  have  objected  to.  This  whipping 
children  for  another  is  sure  to  make  them  hate  that  person. 
A  man  who  governs  by  fits  and  starts  is  sure  to  get  tired. 
And  whipping  children  for  a  second  wife  is  sure  to  make 
their  hate,  where  it  already  exists,  as  big  as  a  mountain, 
boil  over,  and  charge  all  their  whipping  from  their  "  Pa  " 
on  her,  as  if  their  father  never  corrected  them  before.  That 
is  all  forgotten  now.  There  is  only  one  way  to  prevent  this 
difficulty,  that  is,  to  have  one's  household  well  trained,  so 
that  a  word  or  a  look  from  the  father  or  mother  is  enough 
to  quiet  the  turbulence  and  boisterous  doings  of  the  young 
people  and  children.  And  any  set  of  children  thus  brought 
up,  and  tutored  without  some  awful  ulterior  influence  upon 
them,  or  for  want  of  confidence  in  the  father,  will  behave  for 
his  sake,  be  dutiful  and  respectful,  and  give  as  little  trouble 
about  the  house  as  possible. 

One  of  Mrs.  Smith's  brothers-in-law  moved  out,  and  lived 
near  Smith.    One  evening,  Smith  pressed  this  gentleman 


168 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


and  his  wife  to  come  and  spend  the  night  with  them.  They 
came ;  and  Mrs.  Smith,  not  being  well,  was  lying  on  a  little 
bed  near  the  fireplace.  Smith  began,  as  they  all  thought  at 
first,  rather  jocularly  to  tantalize  his  wife  about  this,  that, 
and  everything  but  his  jealousy,  before  her  brother-in-law 
and  sister.  He  continued,  however,  to  accuse  her  wrong- 
fully, until  her  patience  was  at  last  worn  out,  and  she  told 
him  right  down,  flatly,  that  such  assertions  were  false. 

"  My  God,"  said  the  brother-in-law,  on  retiring,  "  if  I  had 
known  this,  I  would  not  have  been  here  to-night." 

They  were  very  much  hurt  to  think  Smith  had  invited 
them  there  just  to  quarrel  with  his  wife  before  them,  of 
whom  they  thought  so  affectionately  —  she  being  to  them  a 
good  sister. 

Next  morning,  Smith  was  like  a  man  who  had  indulged 
in  a  bacchanalian  row  the  night  before.  He  affected,  or 
really  did  feel  very  badly ;  Avas  continually  walking  out 
and  about  the  premises,  could  not  sit  still,  and  was  con- 
stantly asking  her  to  walk  with  him,  which  she,  good-na- 
turedly or  foolishly,  did.  He  said  he  could  not  live  unless  she 
was  near  him,  and  yet  every  now  and  then  tantalizing  her 
after  his  own  peculiar  way,  and  then  saying  he  was  a  fool,  to 
which  sentiment  we  give  our  cordial  assent.  For  who  but  a 
fool  would  act  in  this  way  to  destroy  his  own  happiness.  If  it 
had  been  for  no  other  purpose,  he  would  have  withheld  his 
unjust,  untruthful,  and  angry  words,  in  which  he  often  con- 
tradicted himself.  We  wonder  if  a  little  bold  front  on  her 
part  would  not  have  been  a  bar  to  further  proceedings  in 
this  direction.  Cowards  are  often,  or  nearly  always,  deterred 
by  the  hrave,  unless  they  can  take  sneaking  or  underhand 
advantage.  Smith  knew  very  well  that  his  wife  would  not 
have  lain  there  during  the  day,  if  able  to  rise,  and  let  him 
tongue-lash  her  after  that  sort,  with  her  sister  and  brother- 
in-law  for  his  only  auditors.    "  Fool !  fool !  "  he  vrould  say, 


AND 


HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


169 


wlien  the  spell?  went  off.  The  devil  seemed  to  have  the 
ascendancy  over  him.  An  evil  spirit  troubled  him  like 
Saul,  king  of  Israel,  and,  to  continue  the  simile,  we  suppose 
it  was  because  he  had  departed  from  God.  For  he  must 
certainly  have  been  a  fool  tvrice  told,  to  act  in  this  way, 
when  he  knew  and  acknowledged  it  was  false,  and  also  made 
him  miserable.  But  he  was  like  the  poor  inebriate.  He 
had  gotten  into  the  hahit,  and  it  seemed  he  could  not  help  it, 
because  he  would  not.  He  did  not  have,  or  would  not  exer- 
cise, moral  courage  sufficient  to  govern  himself  in  this 
matter.  His  passions  had  more  the  appearance  of  delirium 
tremens  or  partial  insanity.  In  fact,  we  believe  no  man 
who  had  common  sense,  and  was  compos  mentis,  would  have 
acted  as  he  did. 

Christmas  came.  A  new  year  rolled  round.  Smith  talked 
of  moving  to  another  State,  as  he  had  often  done  before ; 
and  went  out  into  a  wild  frontier  part  of  the  State  and 
bought  land.  When  he  returned,  he  spoke  of  taking  only 
a  few  servants  with  him  out  there  to  make  a  crop  of  corn 
for  the  next  year.  Mrs.  Smith  concluded  she  would,  as  the 
family  was  large,  take  the  two  youngest  children,  with  her 
own  little  boy,  and  go  out  with  him,  also  her  youngest  sister, 
which  she  did  —  leaving  her  sister,  brother-in-law,  and 
mother  to  overlook  the  balance  of  the  family  left  behind. 
She  went  out  into  that  wild  country,  which  would  have  been 
an  asylum  to  her  afflicted  heart  could  she  have  been  left 
alone  long  enough  to  have  gathered  some  happiness  around 
her  that  might  last  for  awhile.  Alas !  again.  "We  know 
not  at  all  times  what  is  best  for  us.  She  could  have  been 
happy  enough  if  all  the  combustible  materials  that  destroy 
happiness  had  been  left  behind.  But  as  it  was,  it  was  the 
worst  day's  work  she  ever  did  for  herself,  to  leave  that  com- 
paratively improved  settlement,  where  she  was  known  and 
respected,  and  move  out  among  people  who  had  been  as 
15 


170 


BREAD   OF  HEAYENj 


diametrically  raised  as  one  pole  is  from  another  —  in  cul- 
ture and  education,  and  all  the  more  refined  arts  of  civilized 
life.  There  were  a  great  many  of  them  good  people ;  but  as 
she  had  been  so  differently  reared,  before  they  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  find  out  her  merits^  and  understand  her  and  love 
her,  as  they  would  most  assuredly  have  done,  the  spoilers 
came.  And  because  she  was  not  equal  to  the  work  of  going 
about  and  tattling  about  home  affairs,  her  high  notions  of 
good  breeding  being  opposed  to  this  plan,  her  antagonists, 
the  children,  and  some  of  the  negroes,  found  many  willing 
allies  in  this  evil  work  —  some  very  willing  ears  to  hear  every 
ridiculous  fabrication  that  prejudice,  envy,  and  evil  hearts 
could  invent,  and  prejudiced  and  envious  hearts  could  will- 
ingly hear.  Hence  she  suffered  vastly  from  this  source  in 
after  days.  Nor  was  it  long  before  they  began ;  how,  will 
be  related  as  we  proceed. 

Now  we  will  confine  ourself  to  the  beginning.  Just  as 
they  were  going  to  leave  for  the  new  State,  Smith  made  a 
proposition  to  all  his  grown-up  children  to  leave  them  all 
the  plantation  and  two  grown-up  negroes  apiece,  good 
working  hands,  if  they  wished  to  remain,  which  was  a  fair 
and  liberal  offer  on  his  part.  And  certainly  they  were 
wrong  this  time ;  for  if  his  wife  had  been  the  woman  they 
wished  to  represent  her,  here  would  have  been  a  fine  02)por- 
tunity  to  get  shut  of  her  forever,  if  desirable  to  them.  We 
would  have  thought  they  would  have  been  delighted  at  the 
offer  and  chance  to  get  away  from  her,  especially  as  all 
their  own  mother's  relations  were  there  —  a  married  sister 
and  her  husband  too,  and  another  sister  contemplating  mar- 
riage. Ah  !  what  did  it  mean  ?  We  acknowledge  we  never 
could  see.  We  would  have  asked  no  better  chance  to  get 
rid  of  a  hated  one.  Ah !  that  hated  one  was  with  their 
father.  Well,  what  of  that  ?  They  did  not  obey  him,  and 
showed  him  as  much  disregard,  or  more,  than  he  had  in 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


171 


bringing  a  successor  to  their  niotlier,  without  either  consult- 
ing or  telling  them  of  it  And  would  he  not  be  near  enough 
to  counsel  them  if  they  wished  it  ?  Alas !  no ;  that  did  not 
suit  them ;  or  were  they  matured  enough  in  the  world  to 
know  what  was  best  for  them  ?  He,  as  head  and  governor 
of  his  family,  ought  to  have  enforced  his  authority,  and  com- 
pelled them  to  remain,  else  forever  thereafter  to  hold  their 
peace  about  their  father's  wife ;  then,  perhaps,  the  poor 
woman  might  have  had  some  peace  with  the  younger  chil- 
dren, and  might  have  been  allowed  to  raise  them  so  that 
they  might  have  been  a  credit  to  themselves  and  to  their 
father's  wife,  too.  But,  no  !  that  did  not  subserve  their  pur- 
pose. And  w^hether  they  were  bent  upon  the  destruction 
that  followed,  or  w^hether  they  were  old  enough  to  have 
their  hearts  set  on  such  a  thing,  we  are  not  now  prepared  to 
say.  Perhaps  w^e  shall  see  by  the  time  we  get  through  a 
work  in  the  future  yet,  to  be  entirely  devoted  to  these  de- 
velopments. 

The  eldest  son,  very  soon  after  his  father's  marriage  — 
about  four  months,  we  believe — said  to  his  father,  one  night, 
after  he  had  been  behaving  very  improperly  to  her,  and  his 
father  spoke  to  him  about  it,  that  "  if  ever  she  got  any  of 
his  property,  she  would  smoke  for  it."  We  do  not  know 
anything  about  the  smoking  part ;  but  we  know  very  well 
she  did  sweat  for  all  she  ever  got,  and  for  more  besides,  and 
that  she  could,  in  that  length  of  time,  have  made  more  than 
twice  as  much  by  her  talents  in  some  other  way,  and  could 
have  made  it  in  peace,  too.  But  enough  of  this  now.  We 
do  not  wish  to  anticipate  a  work  that  will  be  specially  de- 
voted to  that  purpose. 

They  moved,  and  had  a  pleasant  trip  of  it,  except  the 
mud  and  rain  through  which  they  passed.  Smith  had  sent 
to  market  and  got  a  very  nice  barouche ;  the  eldest  son 
made  the  selection,  for  by  this  time,  and  long  before,  he 


172 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


loved  Mrs.  Smith's  youngest  sister  very  much,  and  would 
have  given  anything  short  of  his  life  for  her,  and  said  to 
Mrs.  Smith,  when  the  barouche  was  brought  home,  he  had 
one  request  to  make  of  her,  which  was  to  lend  the  carriage 
to  him  whenever  he  should  get  married.  And  she  promised 
him.  In  this  barouche  they  were  comfortable  in  their  jour- 
ney— Mrs.  Smith,  her  sister,  and  little  children  being  snugly 
ensconced  within,  while  the  eldest  son  drove  and  the  father 
rode  horseback.  This  poor  boy  was  very  attentive  to  his 
father's  wife  and  her  sister  during  this  trip.  What  hindered 
a  continuance  of  this  affectionate  course  of  conduct,  we  are 
not  prepared  to  say  now,  nor  do  we  know  that  we  ever  shall 
this  side  of  a  long  eternity  divine  this  mystery. 

On  their  way  out  to  the  new  State,  they  spent  one  day 
and  night  at  Smith's  brother's  in  an  adjoining  county.  He 
was  very  kind  to  Smith's  wife  and  her  sister.  Although 
Jerome  Smith's  wife  was  yet  living,  Mrs.  Napoleon  Smith 
could  not  help  seeing,  by  that  eagle-eyed  ken  that  was  either 
fortunately,  or  unfortunately,  her  gift,  that,  if  his  wife  were 
dead,  this  brother  of  her  husband  would  fix  his  eye  on  her 
sister ;  for  she  was  a  beautiful  creature,  and  lovely  in  all 
her  ways.  She  was  what  is  called  in  common  parlance 
"  very  smart,"  and  had  as  much  attention  paid  her,  and  as 
many  beaux,  as  any  young  lady  ever  had ;  and  if  to  her 
name  had  been  appended,  besides  all  her  accomplish- 
ments and  peerless  beauty  and  great  cleverness,  a  goodly 
portion  of  the  niggers,  she  would  have  been  surpassed  by 
none  as  the  belle  of  any  place. 

The  State  to  which  they  moved  was  wild  in  the  extreme 
and  uncultivated,  as  before  hinted.  Mrs.  Smith  having 
been  brought  up  in  the  most  refined  parts  of  her  own  State, 
thought  that  if  they  were  good,  and  had  good  kind  hearts, 
no  matter  how  uncultivated,  she  could  get  along  with  them. 
The  sequel  will  prove  whether  they  were  so  or  not  Good- 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


173 


ness  of  heart  is  sometimes  as  far  from  roughness  as  from 
the  more  refined.  In  fact,  more  removed  from  it  in  one 
than  the  other  ;  for  we  have  sometimes  been  at  a  loss  to 
distinguish  between  real,  true  goodness  and  refinement; 
for  goodness  does  certainly  refine.  On  the  other  hand,  we 
have'  been  utterly  disgusted  and  astonished  at  some  rude 
hoosier  of  a  woman  or  man  in  high  places  who  had  wealth, 
and  thought  they  had  goodness  and  refinement  because  they 
doled  out  a  few  dollars  in  charity,  as  they  called  it,  to  the 
poor  of  their  city  or  the  town  in  which  they  lived,  and 
ignored  and  scowled  on  all  others  who  dared  lay  claim  to 
any  kindness  in  their  city,  as  if  they  had  a  title  in  fee  simple 
to  all  the  city,  and  to  the  acts  of  all  the  benevolent  within 
its  precincts.  AVe  say  we  have  been  utterly  astonished  that 
persons  should  lay  claim  to  anything  like  good  hreeding, 
leaving  out  common  politeness  ;  refinement  and  goodness 
being  as  far  from  them  as  heaven  is  from  the  pit. 

Abraham,  although  in  one  of  the  roughest  ages  of  the 
world,  was  certainly  a  great  example  of  goodness,  good 
breeding,  and  refinement.  "When  his  herdmen  and  Lot, 
his  nephew,  had  strife  between  them,  mark  his  words  to 
Lot :  "  Let  there  be  no  strife,  I  pray  thee,  between  me  and 
thee,  and  between  my  herdmen  and  thy  herdmen  ;  for  we  be 
brethren.  Is  not  the  whole  laud  before  thee  ?  Separate 
thyself,  I  pray  thee,  from  me :  if  thou  wilt  take  the  left 
hand,  then  I  will  go  to  the  right ;  or  if  thou  depart  to  the 
right  hand,  then  I  will  go  to  the  left."  And  surely,  if 
Abraham,  the  friend  of  God,  was  so  careful  to  preserve 
peace  between  the  herdmen  of  his  kinsman  and  his  own, 
how  much  more  should  Smith  have  been  to  preserve  peace 
between  his  wife  and  children  ? 
15* 


174 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MARRIAGE  OF  JEROME  SMITH. 

THIS  speech  of  Abraliam's  should  have  been  in  Smith's 
mouth  to  his  children  when  about  to  depart  for  the  wild 
State,  if  he  had  been  capable  of  it.  But  we  suppose  he  was 
not ;  nor  did  he  have  peace  at  his  heart ;  if  he  had,  he  would 
have  had  it  at  any  cost.  O  envy,  thou  fell  destroyer  of 
human  peace  and  happiness !  when  wilt  thou  be  banished 
to  thy  own  place  —  to  thy  own  dark  pit  ?  How  often  it  is 
that  this  destroying  passion,  in  the  form  of  a  human  being, 
but  really  a  demon  incarnated,  is  venting  its  spleen  on  an 
innocent,  unoffending,  good-hearted  person,  who  is  altogether 
unapprised  of  it.  Thus  it  was  in  the  new  State.  Mrs.  Smith 
never  dreamed  that  she  could  be  an  object  of  envy  to  any 
one.  She  never  thought  there  was  anything  about  her  to 
envy. 

During  one  month  after  their  removal,  Mrs.  Smith  was 
happier  than  she  had  ever  been  since  the  beginning  of  her 
married  life.  Smith  was  in  a  better  humor,  and  would  have 
her  ride  with  him  over  his  new  lands  and  plantation ;  make 
acknowledgments  about  his  former  conduct ;  say  they  (the 
children  and  relations)  kept  him  half  beside  himself  more 
than  half  the  time  while  with  them,  and  that,  in  fact,  he 
was  more  than  half  distracted.  And  now  he  was  cool,  calm, 
and  happy.  Poor  happiness !  The  baseless  fabric  of  a 
vision.  Where  was  the  foundation  ?  And,  poor  imbecile 
man !  we  did  sometimes  think  more  kindly  of  him  than  he 
deserved,  and  pitied  him  in  our  soul  that  such  was  the  case 
with  him,  and  thought  that  he  more  than  half  told  the  truth 
about  being  deranged.  But  then  why  punish  the  innocent 
for  the  guilty?    Why  vent  his  wrath  upon  his  wife  for 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


175 


what  others  did?  Is  it  because  that  such  is  often  the  case? 
For  it  seemed  that  if  ever  man  loved  woman,  to  mortal 
eyes  it  seemed  that  he  loved  his  wife.  And  truly,  how  could 
he  help  it?  But  he  loved  his  own  ways  better,  we  presume, 
which  ways,  like  Saul's,  king  of  Israel,  were  peculiar  to 
him.  Anon  all  was  peace  and  calm,  cheerfulness  and 
seeming  bliss  with  him.  Again  an  evil  spirit  seemed  to 
trouble  him.  Such  a  mixture  of  good  and  bad  was  a  great 
bewilderment  and  amazement  to  the  observer  of  his  w^ays, 
though  many  may  be  like  him. 

Jealousy  seemed  iiow  to  be  dead  for  a  long  time.  Smith 
had  promised  his  wife,  before  their  removal  to  that  State, 
that  he  would  attend  church  almost  constantly  with  her, 
if  he  w^alked  and  let  her  ride — as  they  brought  only  a 
couple  of  horses  out  w^th  them,  leaving  the  rest  behind  to 
work  the  plantation.  He  had  already  gone  with  her  to  a 
Baptist  meeting-house  (a  log  cabin)  near  their  home.  Once 
or  twice  he  had  attended  when  convenient.  But  as  Mrs. 
Smith  was  a  Methodist,  she  wished  to  attend  Methodist  meet- 
ing. It  not  being  convenient  for  Smith  to  attend  her,  she 
set  off  one  Saturday  morning  with  an  old  settler  lady  in  the 
neighborhood,  who  was  a  Baptist,  and  who  had  promised  to 
go  with  Mrs.  Smith  in  quest  of  her  own  church,  (which  was 
about  eight  miles  off,  being  the  nearest  to  them,)  and  that 
day  she  joined  herself  to  them  by  letter  in  that  w'ilderness 
place.  The  preacher  in  charge  was  on  a  mission  that  year 
in  that  section,  and  he  was  one,  too,  that  Mrs.  Smith  had 
formerly  known  in  the  old  State. 

Smith,  true  to  his  promise  this  time,  on  several  occasions 
went  with  his  wife  and  her  sister.  The  next  time  preaching 
was  at  this  particular  place  he  went  also,  and  had  a  very 
pleasant  time. 

The  next  meeting  of  any  importance  was  a  camp-meeting 
to  be  held  in  an  adjoining  county,  to  which  one  of  Mrs. 


176 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


Smith's  neighbors  wished  her  to  go,  so  that  she  might  go  in 
company  with  her.  To  this  Smith  was  not  very  willing  to 
agree.  However,  he  did  not  raise  any  very  great  barrier. 
So  she  went  in  company  with  her  neighbor  and  her  hus- 
band ;  her  neighbor's  husband  going  as  escort,  and  to  drive 
Mrs.  Smith's  carriage  for  them. 

A  young  gentleman  from  a  neighboring  settlement  also 
came  to  escort  Mrs.  Smith's  sister.  The  husband  and  wife, 
with  Mrs.  Smith,  went  in  her  carriage.  When  they  set  out, 
Smith  did  not  appear  to  like  it,  though  he  said  nothing. 
They  tarried  several  days  at  the  camp-meeting,  and  on  their 
way  home  Mrs.  Smith  said  she  had  a  treat  of  a  large  water- 
melon for  them  —  a  mountain  sprout,  nearly  as  large  as  a 
half  bushel,  grown  in  her  garden. 

Oh,"  said  the  young  gentleman  who  went  with  them, 
"Mr.  Smith  has  eaten  it  up,  because  he  did  not  want  you 
to  go  to  the  camp-meeting." 

How  he  got  such  an  idea  in  his  head  Mrs.  Smith  could 
not  think,  for  there  had  not  been  a  word  spoken  about 
whether  Smith  was  willing  or  not. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  she,  "  it  will  be  safe  for  us,  as  I  raised 
it  in  my  own  garden." 

"Ah!"  said  Mr.  F  ,  "that  old  man  of  yours  is  pretty 

contrary,  I  think." 

Mrs.  Smith  said  no  more,  but  cast  within  her  mind  how 

Mr.  F  could  have  come  to  that  conclusion,  as  she  did 

not  remember  Smith's  ever  acting  very  contrarily  when  Mr. 

F  was  visiting  them,  though  he  had  been  there  to  see 

her  sister  several  times.  But  we  suppose  men  are  better 
judges  of  one  another's  real  character  than  women,  and 
when  they  speak  at  all  they  tell  the  truth. 

They  were  talking  of  good  looks  by  the  way.    "  Well," 

said  the  young  man,  "  if  Miss  F  looks  as  well  as  you 

do  when  she  is  of  the  same  age,  I  shall  be  satisfied."  Mrs. 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


177 


Smitli  was  then  about  twenty-seven  years  old,  and  very  good 
looking  still  —  some  did  say  a  beautiful  Vvoman.  When 
they  arrived  at  home,  sure  enough  Mr.  Smith  had  not  eaten 
the  watermelon,  but  had  saved  it,  and  they  all  ate  of  it, 
and  dined  together  at  Mr.  Smith's  house,  and  enjoyed  them- 
selves very  much.  Everything^  went  off  charmingly,  as 
Smith  was  in  a  good-humor.  The  neighbors  then  dispersed 
home ;  but  the  young  gentleman  remained  during  the  night 
and  a  portion  of  the  next  day.  He  was  fond  of  the  com- 
pany of  Mrs.  Smith's  beautiful  sister. 

Mrs.  Smith  had  comparative  rest  from  Evans's  name  this 
year,  now  that  he  was  at  a  distance  in  another  State.  Eidiug 
to  school  every  day  (for  she  taught  that  year)  greatly  con- 
duced to  her  health,  which  was  pretty  good  now.  She 
taught  a  mile  away  from  home,  and  this  kind  of  exercise, 
together  with  the  riding  on  horseback  daily,  refreshed  her 
mind  and  body,  too.    She  became  enceinte  again. 

In  September  of  that  year  Smith  and  his  wife  visited 
their  plantation  in  the  old  State'.  As  they  crossed  the 
river  that  lay  between  the  two  States,  while  in  the  flat,  the 
ferryman  told  Smith  that  he  had  heard  his  brother's  wife 
was  dead. 

Instantly  Mrs.  Smith's  mind  was  in  a  reverie,  for  she  felt 
like  that  spirit  of  inspiration  or  prophecy  was  upon  her  — 
that  Smith's  brother  would  be  for  marrying  her  sister,  if  he 
could  get  her.  Oh,  how  revolting  to  her  mind !  on  account 
partly  of  his  children,  for  she  did  not  know,  nor  hardly 
think,  Jerome  Smith  to  be  of  a  similar  temperament  to  his 
brother  Napoleon,  yet  she  did  not  know  that  he  was  better. 
She  was  as  much  opposed  to  such  a  thing  ever  occurriug  as 
it  was  possible  for  her  to  be — as  well  she  might.  She 
thought  very  properly,  it  was  enough  for  one  young  life  to 
be  clouded  and  shrouded  in  eternpj  gloom  and  sadness,  able 
only  to  glean  a  little  happiness  here  and  there  between 

M 


178 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


spells  or  paroxysms  of  Mount  Etna  or  Vesuvius'  bursting 
craters ;  or,  like  an  oasis  in  the  desert,  quaffing  occasionally 
a  cooling  draught,  or  sitting  in  the  shade  of  some  benign 
tree  awhile  to  rest  her  weary  feet  from  the  burning  sands. 
She  thought  this  enough  sacrifice  to  the  Moloch  of  the 
present  day,  without  having  her  beautiful  sister  an  added 
victim. 

They  tarried  that  night  at  Smith's  brother's.  And  although 
her  brother-in-law  was  very  kind  in  his  attention  to  her,  yet 
the  children  —  great  girls,  nearly  grown,  (his  daughters, 
and  one  of  their  cousins,)  although  their  dear  mother  and 
aunt  had  been  dead  but  a  few  days,  and  was  buried  right  in 
their  sight  in  the  yard  not  more  than  twenty  steps  from  the 
door,  —  were  running,  skipping  and  charging  all  over  the 
house,  as  though  nothing  had  happened.  "My  God!" 
thought  she,  "  what  would  or  could  my  poor  ^ister  do  in 
such  a  family  as  this  ? "  Another  panorama,  she  feared,  as 
bad  as  her  own.  Prescience  is  sometimes  as  painful  as 
actual  occurrences. 

The  next  day  they  went  on  their  way,  and  arrived  at  their 
plantation,  and  found  all  well.  They  spent  several  weeks 
there ;  attended  an  association  of  the  Baptists  during  the 
time,  and  returned  home  in  peace,  so  far  as  any  jealousies 
were  concerned  —  Mrs.  Smith  not  having  even  seen  Evans, 
excepting  at  a  distance,  but  once,  and  that  on  the  morning 
she  set  out  for  home,  when  he  and  his  wife  both  came  out 
to  the  gate  to  see  her  and  bid  her  good-bye.  It  was  the 
last  time,  for  many  long  years,  she  ever  saw  either  of  them. 
For  she  never  visited  that  section  of  country  again  for  the 
the  space  of  thirty-two  years ;  nor  did  they  ever  visit  the 
State  where  she  resided.  Smith  had  returned  home  this 
time,  and  leaving  his  wife  and  children  for  his  eldest  son 
to  accompany  home.  But  while  she  stopped  awhile  in  the 
county  town,  she  met  with  many  friends  and  old  acquaint- 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  STTIXE. 


179 


ances,  among  others,  Evans's  same  old  friend.  He  saw 
2>Irs.  Smith's  little  boy  and  nurse  at  the  carriage,  and  in- 
quired whose  child  it  was,  (for  he  had  never  seen  it,)  and 
then  weni  in  search  of  Mrs.  Smith,  and  invited  her  to  his 
house,  which  she  declined  doing,  as  she  was  then  on  her  de- 
jDarture  for  her  home  in  the  wild  country.  This  also  was 
the  last  time  she  ever  saw  him,  till  the  exclamation  recorded 
in  the  beginning  of  this  work,  "  II'  thou  be  he,  0  how  fallen, 
or  changed  I " 

The  following  winter  all  the  family  moved  out,  and  with 
it  came  trouble.  Smith's  brother  moved  out,  too,  having 
been  out  during  the  summer  before  his  wife  died,  and  built 
houses  for  this  purpose.  Mrs.  Smith's  brother-in-law  moved 
out  there  also,  and  with  such  a  long  string  of  relations  with- 
in two  miles  of  one  another,  they  had  company  enough 
themselves,  and  if,  like  Abraham,  they  had  erected  their 
altar  to  God,  they  might  have  had  peace  and  plenty.  Smith's 
brother,  Jerome  Smith,  sure  enough,  even  before  he  moved 
out,  while  yet  his  wife's  grave  was  damp  from  the  newly 
turned  clods,  had  gone  into  another  county  to  see  a  widow 
lady.  But  she,  being  by  no  means  inclined  to  be  caught  by 
a  man  whom  she  perhaps  knew  would  drink  spirituous 
lio^uors,  sometimes  asked  why  he  did  not  go  to  see  his 
brother  Xapoleon's  wife's  sister  ?  Ostensibly,  this  was  his 
purpose  all  the  time,  as  he  confessed  afterwards ;  but  now  he 
said  somethinDf  about  her  beino:  so  vouns:  —  as  she  was  Mrs. 
Smith's  youngest  sister. 

Oh,"  said  the  lady,  "  I  would  marry  her,  if  she  were  to 
have  forty  children,"  for  she  had  heard  much  of  Xapoleon 
Smith's  wife,  and  of  the  two  sisters'  excellence. 

Jerome  then  wrote  his  brother  that  he  saw  but  little  pros- 
pect of  happiness  with  the  widow's  children,  saying  nothing 
of  his  own,  and  without  telling  the  real  truth  of  the  mat- 
ter ;  so  that  any  one  at  all  acquainted  with  the  circum- 


180 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


stances,  could  see  the  drift  of  the  matter.  Mrs.  Smith  saw 
it  all  —  and  very  painfully,  too.  "  She  just  wished  these 
Smiths  would  let  her  and  her  people  alone  the  balance  of 
their  days.  She  had  been  married  to  Napoleon  Smith  four 
years  now  ;  and  if  she  were  so  objectionable  to  his  children, 
why  should  his  brother  use  such  arts  and  stratagems  to 
seek  her  sister  f  Old  men  please  themselves,  and  let  the 
children  take  care  of  themselves.  Pity  such  men  ever  had 
any  children  to  their  name.  She  expected  the  next  attempt 
would  be  her  sister;  nor  was  she  mistaken.  And  so  she 
told  Smith  when  he  read  the  letter  to  her.  Jerome  would 
be  often  speaking  of  going  into  another  State  to  see  a  widow 
lady  there.  Mrs.  Smith  soon  saw  through  the  whole  design. 
And  one  evening,  when  returned  from  school,  she  asked  her 
sister  to  walk  into  the  garden  with  her ;  and  they  both  sat 
down  together  there. 

"  My  dear  sister  F  ,"  said  she,  "  I  see  plainly  what 

Jerome  Smith  is  after."  And  then  in  her  gentlest  and  most 
subdued  tones  (for  her  heart  was  sad)  hinted  to  her  be- 
loved sister  that  she  had  better  not  go  into  the  arrange- 
ment. Oh,  if  she  had  told  her  but  half  what  she  had 
already  endured,  she  surely  would  have  been  deterred! 
But,  ah !  that  she  never  could  do.  Her  soul  was  full  of 
mournful  sorrow  all  the  time  about  this  period.  Her  sister 
seemed  to  think  there  was  a  difference  in  their  dispositions, 
and  that  she  would  not  bear  what  she  did. 

Jerome  came  next  morning,  and  was,  to  Mrs.  Smith's 
mind,  officiously  polite ;  for  she  thought  there  was  policy  in 
it.  And  so  there  was.  Our  soul  did  ever  loathe  that  kind 
of  troublesome  politeness  for  a  purpose ;  whereas,  as  soon 
as  the  purpose  is  gained,  there  would  be  no  more  appear- 
ance of  even  common,  necessary  courtesy,  than  a  hog  shows 
to  a  prince  walking  by.  We  have  seen  several  men  in  our 
life,  old  widowers  especially,  who  generally  have  more  au- 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE.  181 

dacity  than  any  other  characters  under  the  sun,  particularly 
when  a  new  wife  was  in  view,  all  forgetful  of  the  old  one. 
We  have  seen  them  the  most  obsequiously  polite,  as  a 
Yankee  dandy,  although  perhaps  clod-hoppers,  —  who,  by 
the  way,  are  as  good  as  any,  provided  they  were  not  fools 
and  hypocrites,  —  rendering  themselves  ridiculous  before 
marriage,  by  their  offensive,  badly  assumed  gallantry,  and 
afterwards  could  be  as  sullen  or  sulky  as  any  old  stubborn 
ox ;  would  neither  gee  nor  haw,  pull  one  way  or  the  other, 
but  just  lie  down  jiat  in  his  sulks.  Kow  if  anything  on 
earth  can  make  our  soul  hate  them,  it  is  this  deception  and 
hypocrisy  put  on  to  get  a  wife,  and  then  not  keep  it  up. 
For  if  it  be  necessary  to  use  hypocrisy  to  gain  a  wife,  it  is 
necessary  to  continue  it  to  keep  her.  You  see,  gen- 
tlemen, we  are  for  the  right  thing.  The  square  righteous- 
ness consists  in  doing  right  things.  What  do  you  mean  by 
putting  on  these  cloaks  to  show  yourselves  to  the  fair  sex  ? 
Do  you  think  they  all  are  fools ;  and  that  by  befooling 
them,  and  putting  on  or  assuming  a  character  not  your 
ovv'u,  when  you  drop  the  guise,  they  will  not  have  discern- 
ment enough  to  know  it  ?  Or  are  you  such  tyrants,  that, 
like  most  of  that  hated  class,  you  do  these  things  to  gain 
your  point,  and  then  when  the  slave  is  within  your  mighty 
autocratic  clutches,  you  don't  care ;  let  her  help  herself  if 
she  can.  Do  you  think  love  comes  this  way  ?  Well  now 
you  are  worse  deceived  than  Eve  was,  when  it  took  the 
subtilty  of  the  beast  and  the  devil,  too,  to  deceive  her ;  of 
which  ye  lords  of  creation  love  to  boast  so  much  that  wo- 
man was  first  in  fault. 

Our  very  soul  is  sick  of  this  cant,  and  we  venture,  by 
the  grace  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  our  Ad- 
vocate, that  woman  will  not  be  the  last  in  fault.  Many 
of  you  are  a  strange  set  of  beings.  Created  in  the  image 
of  God,  you  "  have  changed  the  glory  of  the  uncorruptible 
16 


182 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


God "  into  any  image  that  suits,  even  to  brute  beasts  or 
sullen  oxen  or  mules.  This  is  a  subject  so  replete  with 
matter  that  we  could  write  a  whole  book  on  it.  One  of  our 
gentlemen,  when  subscribing  for  this  book,  asked  if  he  was 
buying  a  cudgel  for  his  own  head.  If  he  be  a  real  gentle- 
man, such  as  God  designs  Adam  and  all  his  boys  to  be,  he 
will  have  a  high  seat  in  our  picture-gallery  after  awhile. 
He  will  be  so  exalted  that,  even  to  man's  highest  ambition, 
he  will  say,  it  is  enough.  But  to  fall  down  and  worship  im- 
becile man  —  debased  man,  vicious  man,  a  man  warped 
till  he  is  as  crooked  as  a  shepherd's  crook  —  never!  We 
pander  to  no  man's  vices.  You  allow  none  in  us.  We  want 
none.  We  wish  to  stand  before  our  Maker  as  pure  as  the 
driven  snow.  And  such  we  will  be  by  the  grace  of  our 
dear  kinsman  —  our  elder  brother  —  the  Saviour,  who, 
if  we  understand  the  New  Testament  aright,  particularly 
vindicated  the  cause  of  poor  woman,  because  he  saw  through 
all  time.  Since  the  days  of  Abraham  she  has  been  down- 
trodden, except  it  was  some  of  the  more  wicked  of  our  sex, 
them  you  exalted.  Men  are  generally  more  inclined  to 
follow  the  advice  of  bad  women  than  of  good.  Why,  we 
do  not  know,  unless  it  be  that  they  are  more  inclined  to 
evil  than  good,  like  Adam.  It  seems  to  us  that  he  took 
very  little  persuading  to  break  his  fealty  to  heaven's  King, 
seeing  he  was  made  monarch  and  lord  of  all  created  fowls 
and  beasts.  Poor  innocent  Adam !  *'  The  woman  whom  thou 
gavest  to  be  with  me,  she  gave  to  me,  and  I  did  eat."  Poor 
fellow !  He  was  very  willing  to  do  what  he  wanted  to  do,  with- 
out asking  himself  the  consequences.  Women  are  not  all  fools, 
if  Eve  was,  but  are  much  more  eagle-eyed  than  men  often 
suppose,  and  would  often  hold  out  the  bread  of  heaven  to 
them,  instead  of  the  husks  of  the  swine  as  Eve  did,  if  they 
would  accept  it.  You  see,  we  hold  the  bread  of  heaven  to 
consist  in  doing  God's  holy  will  on  earth.    But,  0  mercy  I 


AXD   HUSKS   OF   SWIXE.  183 

if  it  be  a  young  woman,  particularly  a  girl  of  svreet  sixteen, 
who  offers  it,  some  of  the,?e  old  larks  of  three  or  four  score 
and  ten  can  be  as  sprightly  as  birds  of  the  air,  can  mount 
their  steeds,  bounce  into  their  carriages,  throw  away  their 
crutches,  and,  in  the  name  of  the  young  beauty  they  wor- 
ship, do  many  wonderful  works,  so  that  one  would  imagine, 
if  we  did  not  see  them,  that  they  might  be  boys  of  ten  years 
of  age. 

But  to  return.  Jerome  Smith  rode  all  the  way  to  the 
school-house  with  Grace  Smith,  much  to  her  annoyance, 
knowing  so  well,  as  she  did,  his  schemes.    He  talked  all  the 

while  of  his  intended  trip  to  T  ,  which  was  still  more 

disgusting  to  her,  for  she  knew  that  his  State  of  T  was 

close  by.  Xow  his  sister-in-law  would  have  very  much  ap- 
preciated his  attentions,  if  she  had  not  so  clearly  seen  through 
the  plot.  He  then,  true  enough,  wheeled  right  about,  went 
back  to  Xapoleon  Smith's,  wooed  her  sister,  and  they  were 
engaged  by  the  time  she  returned  in  the  evening. 

Here  is  another  grand  objection  we  have  to  widowers,  who 
are  determined  to  get  a  wife  at  all  hazards.  Ejnowing  there 
are  some  things  that  would  not  be  best  known  to  favor  their 
cause,  either  in  reference  to  themselves  or  children,  they 
make  haste  to  catch  the  unwary,  unsuspecting  bird  or 
young  creature,  before  sound  of  anything  to  deter  reaches 
her  ears  that  might  prevent  their  spoil  of  the  prey.  Xow 
if  the  widower  has  no  children,  or  if  they  are  babes  or 
mere  infants,  he  has  a  right,  as  any  other  man,  to  get  mar- 
ried when  he  pleases.  But  if  he  has  grown-up  children,  it 
is  his  imperative  duty,  as  the  father  of  those  childi-en,  to 
make  all  things  clever  between  his  children  and  his  intended 
bride  before  marriage.  Any  man  that  does  not  do  this  is 
not  an  honest  man  in  the  sight  of  God.  He  is  robbing  his 
children  of  their  happiness,  and  small  matter  would  it  be  if 
he  had  none  himself,  provided  nobody  suiiered  but  himself. 


184 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEK, 


But,  of  all  others,  he  will  hug  himself  in  Adamic  shifts,  or 
fig-leaves,  and  make  many  excuses.  The  most  potent  of  all 
is,  to  his  weak  soul,  to  lay  it  on  his  wife,  though  in  years, 
compared  to  him,  she  may  be  a  babe.  She  must  reduce  to 
order,  without  his  co-operation,  the  confusion  of  a  score  of 
years,  and  the  turbulence  and  unbridled  passions  of  himself 
and  all  his  young  human  mules.  Delectable  task !  Young 
ladies,  don't  you  desire  the  position? 

Mrs.  Smith  thought  Jerome  had  made  a  quick  trip  to 
T  ,  a  distance  of  several  hundred  miles  to  be  accom- 
plished in  a  day,  thirty  or  forty  years  ago,  when  railroads 
in  that  section  of  country  had  hardly  been  heard  of.  So  it 
was  just  as  she  expected,  and  he  went  off  quickly  to  the 
young  lady's  parents,  in  the  old  State,  to  get  their  consent. 

This  was  not  so  far  as  T  ,  being  only  about  fifty  miles. 

He  never  said  another  word  to  his  sister-in-law,  although 
the  bride  elect  was  living  in  her  house.  Perhaps  he  was 
afraid  he  might  get  a  damper  to  his  impetuosity,  and  a 
check  to  his  haste. 

They  were  married.  The  ceremony  was  performed  by  the 
very  same  young  man  who  had  accompanied  her  to  the 
camp-meeting,  being  the  squire  in  that  district,  who,  when 
he  heard  of  this  matter,  it  was  said,  was  ^Imost  as  much 
surprised  as  Evans  had  been  concerning  Grace's  marriage. 

When  they  came  in  to  be  married,  trading  with  ladies 
was  in  discussion.  Napoleon  Smith  said  he  never  traded 
with  a  woman  but  he  got  cheated.  Jerome,  his  brother, 
said, "  Why,  that  is  a  burlesque  on  you,  Grace."  Mrs.  Smith 
made  no  reply,  but  felt  it  not,  well  kaowing,  if  there  was 
any  cheating  at  all,  it  was  on  the  other  side,  and  that 
of  the  deepest  and  most  vital  kind  —  that  of  youth,  beauty, 
and  intellect  all  swallowed  up  in  an  overwhelming  mael- 
strom of  deepest  deception.  She  did  not  think  it  worthy 
of  a  reply.    And  this  is  another  evidence  of  the  pusilla- 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


185 


nimity  of  Adam's  boys,  old  or  young.  If  marriage  is  a 
mere  trade  of  barter  and  commerce,  if  the  gains  do  not 
come  out  as  no  cool-headed  fool  ever  icould  expect,  the 
blame  is  laid  on  the  woman.  In  the  financial  deficit  it  is 
"  the  ivoman  whom  thou  gavest  to  be  Avith  me,"  "  she  did 
cheat,  and  I  cheated."    Xoble  man !    Like  sire,  like  son. 

Grace,  although  mute  and  silent  as  the  grave  on  this 
memorable  morning,  thought,  while  she  saw  her  beautiful 
sister  in  her  white  robes  on  the  floor,  that  she  would  rather 
see  her  laid  out  for  burial  than  to  become  the  wife  of  her 
husband's  brother,  with  his  children.  Her  fears  were  but 
too  well  founded.  They  went  then  to  their  own  home,  and 
Xapoleon  Smith  took  a  short  trip  back  to  the  old  place  to 
settle  up  all  the  affairs  there. 

That  year  Smith's  second  daughter  had  married.  She 
had  bought  goods  to  the  amount  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  by  the  month  of  May.  Mrs.  Smith,  for  herself, 
family,  servants,  and  all,  had  bought  about  two  hundred 
dollars'  worth  for  the  whole  year.  But  she  had  made  that 
much  by  her  school,  and  taught  six  of  his  children  besides, 
for  she  had  none  of  her  own  large  enough  to  attend  school. 

One  day  after  this,  ISTapoleon  Smith  was  overhauling  and 
overlooking  the  accounts,  as  he  was  sure  to  do.  And 
although  pleasa*ht  enough  when  he  settled  them,  —  for  she 
had  by  her  industry  helped  to  cover  their  new  house  by  pay- 
ing for  the  workman's  hire  to  his  master  fifty  dollars  in  tui- 
tion for  his  brother  and  sister,  and  she  had  fifty  dollars  col- 
lected and  laid  away  in  his  drawer  at  one  time,  of  her  labor 
in  tuition,  and  had  clothed  his  children  with  her  own 
money  and  labor, — yet,  after  all,  he  must  get  angry  with  his 
wife,  as  was  usual  with  him,  with  or  without  a  pretext.  She 
must  bear  the  burden  alone.  His  daughter  was  out  of  the 
way  now,  more  than  a  hundred  miles  off,  and  could  hear 

none  of  it.    The  abuse  was  for  her  ear,  although  praise  was 
16* 


186 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


deserved,  for  the  daughter  grabbed  all  she  could  by  mind- 
ing the  old  servant,  who  said  to  her,  "  You  are  going  to 
marry  a  poor  man ;  buy  all  you  can..  Your  Pa 's  able  to  pay 
it."  So  she  did,  and  of  course  made  no  exertions,  as  Mrs. 
Smith  did,  to  pay  her  scores,  but  bought  them  on  credit, 
got  married,  and  was  off  and  out  of  the  way. 

Smith  said  to^his  wife,  "  Were  it  not  for  your  situation,  I 
would  take  that  cowhide  and  give  you  a  good  thrashing ! " 

O  Lord  God,  our  heavenly  Father !  Whenever  we  hear 
of  a  man  talking  of  dealing  blows  to  his  wife,  deserved  or 
undeserved,  our  honest  indignation  rises  to  the  highest 
pitch ;  for  we  have  ever  considered  this  one  of  the  abuses  to 
which  the  grand  adversary  of  all  good  has  cited  man's, 
brutal  man's  attention ;  for  none  but  a  brutal  man  would 
resort  to  such  a  brutal  process.  We  see  nothing  of  it  in  the 
written  Avord  of  God,  absolutely  nothing  to  authorize  man 
to  such  acts  of  violence  and  barbarity  towards  the  wife  of 
his  bosom.  What !  beat  a  woman  whom  you  have  sworn 
at  God's  holy  altar  to  cherish  and  protect,  and  then  go  to 
the  conjugal  bed  with  her?  A  decent  devil  wo]iild  blush  at 
the  thought,  and  we  are  confident  no  man  of  any  nice  sensi- 
bility whatever  would  ever  even  think  of  such  a  thing,  and 
then  say,  "  My  dear,  I .  love  you  ! "  Infinite  scorning  and 
nausea  take  possession  of  our  soul  just  at  this  spectacle. 
We  have  said  it  is  enough  to  make  the  devil  spew.  We  say 
it  again.  Ah !  yes,  worse  than  some  of  your  bacchanalian 
subjects  do  sometimes  to  their  midnight  devotees.  There 
we  consider  all  who  resort  to  this  measure  the  immediate 
agents  and  commissioners  of  the  Prince  of  darkness.  For 
he  being  prince,  does  many  things,  and  commissions  many 
things,  at  which  devils  of  less  malevolence  of  disposition 
blush. 

Mrs.  Smith  said  nothing  to  this  double-refined,  subli- 
mated, and  undeserved  threat  of  cruelty,  but  went  out  and 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


187 


•wept.  It  T\'as  not  long  before  the  birth  of  her  second  son. 
A  peculiarly  delicate  situation  for  a  lady  to  be  in,  to  have 
her  mind  distracted  and  torn  to  pieces  by  the  very  brute- 
man  who  was  the  father  of  her  child.  Then  it  was,  for  the 
first  time,  she  began  to  wish  herself  avray  from  this  accursed 
family.  Accursed  by  the  father's  conduct,  for  now  the 
relations  were  all  left  behind  of  wliom  he  complained  so 
much.  Evans  was  left  behind,  and  who  was  there  now  to  lay 
the  iniquity  of  his  doings  upon  ?  Be  patient,  kind  reader, 
and  he  will  find  somebody,  some  scapegoat,  erelong,  to  bear 
his  iniquity,  even  in  this  wilderness.  His  fertile  brain  would 
or  could  not  be  long  idfe  in  such  a  quest,  and  for  such  a 
purpose,  to  screen  his  holy  self 

Mrs.  Smith  saw  the  cloud  arising,  though  perchance  small 
at  first,  and  the  tempest  brewing ;  and  if  in  the  bitterness 
of  her  soul,  her  poor  crushed  heart,  she  wished  herself  far 
away  from  him,  we  cannot  blame  lier.  Hitherto  she  had 
never  thought  of  wishing  herself  from  him ;  but  now  the 
thought  began  to  present  itself  not  uiifrequently.  For  had 
he  not  perjured  himself  time  and  apain  till  endurance  was 
almost  a  sin  ?  Had  he  not  j^i'omised  her  when  they  came 
to  this  wilderness  country,  as  an  asylum  from  the  stormy 
blasts  of  his  family,  that,  when  away  from  the  relations,  he 
would  do  better,  and  be  quiet?  Xow  the  fagots  had  all 
been  removed  out  there  to  her  wilderness  home.  His 
brother  and  his  force  were  near  by,  —  himself,  the  greatest 
and  most  inflammable  fagot  of  all,  ready  upon  every 
light  occasion  to  take  fire.  The  combustibles  were  thicken- 
ing on  every  hand.  "  The  Philistines  be  upon  thee,  Samson," 
would  have  been  a  good  word  of  alarm.  But,  alas!  like 
Samson,  she  was  bound.  She  had  followed  him  out  to  that 
rough  country  more  because  he  was  afraid  of  her  seeing 
polite  society  than  anything  else ;  had  toiled  hard  all  the 
year  in  her  school  that  she  might  make  enough  to  pay  for 


188 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


all  she  bought,  which  was  mostly  for  his  own  family  —  all 
to  keep  and  have  peace.  She  had  but  one  little  boy,  her 
only  child  as  yet,  and  behold  this  was  the  reward !  If  there 
is  a  God  who  ruleth  in  the  earth,  does  He  look  upon  such 
things  with  allowance  ?  Although  it  is  said  in  His  word, 
"Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  husbands,  as 
unto  the  Lord,"  how  is  it  to  be  performed,  when  he  will 
take  his  wife,  and  even  persuade  her  to  go,  against  her 
will,  to  make  selections,  and  trade  for  the  children  and 
family,  as  he  did  a  few  days  after  they  were  married,  and 
then  the  next  moment  be  angry  enough  with  her  to  kill 
her?  O  man!  thou  hard-hearth  being,  what  will  become 
of  thee  in  the  day  of  judgment,  about  the  wife  of  thy 
bosom  ?  Mrs.  Smith  had  been  heard  to  say,  before  their 
removal,  that  she  would  go  with  him  anywhere. 

One  day  Evans  and  his  wife  had  been  to  church.  On 
their  return  by  Smith's  house  in  the  old  State,  he  invited 
Evans  and  his  wife  to  stop  for  dinner.  "  Well,"  said  Evans, 
"  it  is  just  as  Kuth  pleases ;  if  she  will  stay,  I  will  stay  with 
her,  and  not  quarrel  with  her  for  it  afterwards." 

This  was  after  the  episode  of  jealousy  brought  to  light  by 
the  negro,  and  showed  the  nobleness  of  the  man.  It  ought 
to  have  been  a  shot  for  Smith,  if  he  were  not  impervious  to 
the  core  of  his  own  foibles ;  for  there  were  few  things  he 
ever  consented  for  his  wife  to  do,  but  that  he  had  a  quarrel 
or  a  war  about  it  afterwards.  A  quarrel  he  could  never 
get,  for  Mrs.  Smith  would  not  quarrel  with  him.  But  he 
would  declare  war. 

At  the  dinner-table  they  were  speaking  of  the  intended 
removal. 

"  Cousin  Grace,"  said  Evans,  "  how  do  you  like  the  idea  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  said  she,  "  I  will  go  with  him  to  the  jumping-off 
place !  I  was  not  willing  to  go  while  the  Indians  were  in 
that  State,  but  now  I  am  ready  to  go," 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  S^V1SE, 


189 


Poor  creature  I  She  might  a?  well  have  gone  among  the 
Indians;  for  we  leave  it  to  all  refined  persons  of  nice  feel- 
ings and  sensibility,  if  such  treatment  as  she  met  with  after- 
wards was  not  worse  —  a  thousand  times  worse — than  to 
have  been  tomahawked,  or  burnt  to  death  by  a  savage  foe  ? 
And  yet  the  world  knew  it  not ;  and  if  it  did,  could  care 
little,  or  do  little  in  the  matter.  "Whereas,  if  she  had  been 
murdered  by  the  savages,  some  would  or  might  have 
pitied. 

And  here  we  just  remark,  that  although  our  mind  utterly 
revolts  at  anything  like  parting,  when  once  man  and  woman 
are  married,  yea,  we  would  suffer  many  horrors  before  re- 
sorting to  this  painful  refuge  for  down-trodden,  crushed,  and 
oi^pressed  woman ;  yet  Moses,  for  the  hardness  of  men's 
hearts,  permitted  their  wives  to  be  separated  from  them. 
And  in  view  of  the  ten  thousand  sorrows  Mrs.  Smith  en- 
dured, and  what  was  entailed  on  her  helpless  offspring,  we  say 
most  unequivocally,  in  face  of  men,  devils,  and  angels,  that, 
after  the  experience  and  observation  of  many  long  years,  we 
believe  it  would  have  been  best  for  her  to  have  left  her  in- 
hospitable chief — his  dwelling,  his  children,  his  negroes,  his 
all,  and  all  her  own  people,  who  were  there  among  them  at 
times.  Her  sister  who  had  married  Jerome  Smith  would 
no  doubt  have  persuaded  her  from  it.  But  she  ought  to 
have  known  her  own  business  best,  and  where  the  shoe 
pinched ;  for  now  hell  was  opening  from  beneath,  and 
such  a  swarm  of  demons,  as  she  could  never  have  had  any 
conception  of  If  she  had,  surely  she  would  have  made  some 
preparation  for  them.  But  like  the  lamb  to  the  slaughter- 
pen  she  is  going  again.  She  knew  there  were  sorrows  and 
troubles  brewing,  but  never  the  half  of  the  extent  of  them 
—  their  turpitude  nor  source.  She  did  not  think  of  leaving. 
ISTo ;  only  the  wish  that  she  was  far  away  from  the  present 
troubles,  and  she  did  fear  worse  coming.    We  think  she 


190 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEK, 


would  ha^rdly  have  liad  moral  courage  to  breast  tlie  storm, 
had  departure  in  reality  have  possessed  her  mind.  Smith 
would  have  been  as  a  roaring  lion,  his  brother  and  all  their 
children  his  allies.  And  the  world,  v/here  would  that  have 
been  ?  She  did  not  ask,  for  she  contemplated  no  such  thing 
as  going  away.  As  to  expenditures  for  the  family,  she  had 
just  as  much  right  to  distribute  and  lay  out  for  it,  especially 
when  she  earned  the  money  herself,  as  Smith  had  to  buy 
land.  He  had  endowed  her  with  the  privilege,  and  told  her 
to  do  just  as  she  pleased,  and  she  disobeyed  no  law  of  God 
or  man  in  buying  what  she  did.  She  was  prudent  and 
careful,  saving  and  economical ;  neither  stingy  nor  nig- 
gardly, but  generous  and  liberal. 

At  the  camp-meeting  mentioned  before,  she  asked  the 
preacher  to  whom  she  gave  her  letter  of  recommendation, 
for  the  love  of  God's  sake,  to  send  them  a  preacher  from  the 
conference  to  that  wild  part  of  the  country.  They  sent  one. 
Their  new  unfinished  house  was  in  this  way  first  dedicated 

to  the  service  of  God.    A  Brother  W  ,  from  the  old 

State,  whom  Smith  knew,  called  on  them  in  their  new 
home,  and  Mrs.  Smith  called  their  neighbors,  friends,  and 
relatives  together,  and  had  preaching  in  the  new  house 
ere  they  dwelt  in  it.  Poor  walls  of  the  house!  How 
many  tales  they  could  tell,  if  speech  was  their  gift ! 
Preaching  first  the  word  of  God,  and  then  afterwards  the 
enacting  of  a  tragedy  at  which  all  ears  tingled  who 
heard  it.  .  .  . 

Another  year  rolled  round.  The  eighth  of  February 
arrived,  and  Mrs.  Smith  gave  birth  to  another  fine  boy. 
She  nearly  lost  her  life  in  the  agony,  but  in  a  few  days, 
such  was  her  vivacity,  or  rather  the  power  of  God  and  her 
faith,  that  she  began  to  revive.  The  preacher  came,  and 
there  was  no  house  in  which  to  preach.  He  came  to  Smith's 
house,  as  Brother  W  had  done. 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


191 


Mrs.  Smitli  was  now  up.  The  young  preacher  looked  as 
though  he  hardly  knew  what  to  do,  as  Smith  would  stand 
at  the  door,  as  if  he  would  hardly  ask  him  in.  He  was  one 
of  the  strangest  beings  in  the  world,  and  oft  reminded  us  of 
those  who  strain  at  gnats  and  swallow  camels.  If  it  had 
been  a  rough-hewn  or  coarse  fellow,  he  would  not  have 
hesitated  to  ask  him  even  into  Mrs.  Smith's  very  room.  Or 
forsooth,  his  eldest  son,  than  whom  a  coarser  fellow  hardly 
existed,  when  he  had  a  mind  to  be  vulgar,  would  come  into 
her  room  when  he  pleased,  but  a  preacher  was  quite  an- 
other thing.  He  ever  was  more  afraid  of  those  of  whom  there 
was  least  danger.  Vie  suppose  because  he  thought  them 
more  suitable  to  his  wife's  mind.  However,  he  finally  asked 
the  preacher  in,  and  he  gave  a  good  little  sermon  to  a  re- 
spectable little  crowd  gathered  on  the  occasion.  We  sup- 
pose if  Mr.  F          had  been  there,  he  would  have  spoken 

out  again,  but  of  course  the  preacher  had  nothing  to  say. 
We  wondered  what  he  thought.  Now  Smith  was  used  to 
do  this  way,  if  any  reliance  can  be  placed  in  what  the  old 
domestics  would  say. .  Anything  rather  than  preaching,  or 
much  of  it  about  his  house.  Mrs.  Smith  thought  him  the 
strangest  Methodist  she  had  ever  seen,  no  invitingness  about 
him  to  the  ministers.  "  Come  in,  thou  blessed  of  the  Lord," 
was  the  language  good  people  of  old  were  wont  to  address 
to  the  servants  of  the  Lord  —  Abraham,  for  instance.  "  Be- 
hold now,  my  lords,  if  ye  count  me  worthy,  come  into  mine 
house."  But  it  was  a  great  source  of  joy  to  Mrs.  Smith  to 
hear  the  Gospel  while  passing  though  the  fire  and  sojourn- 
ing in  trouble. 

Her  sister  and  brother-in-law  fi'om  the  old  State  had 
been  staying  with  them,  and  were  now  about  moving  to 
their  own  home,  which  they  had  been  building.  It  was  not 
long  after  the  birth  of  her  babe  —  a  day,  we  think.  Smith 
came,  without  his  wife  thinking  of  such  a  thing,  and  said  to 


192 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


her,  "  Have  a  jar  of  lard  put  up  for  them.'*  They  had  not 
yet  laid  in  their  provisions.  She  had  it  done,  about  five  or 
six  pounds  in  a  small  jar.  As  soon  as  they  were  gone,  he 
came  to  his  wife,  and  said  very  crossly 

"  Did  you  have'  that  lard  weighed  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  she. 

"  Why  did  you  not  ?  "  said  he,  pettishly. 

She  being  very  badly  off  in  health  that  morning,  these 
words  set  her  crying.  And  thus  it  was  both  times  she 
had  been  thus  suffering,  he  caused  her  a  crying  spell,  for 
her  feelings,  always  tender,  were  on  these  occasions  particu- 
larly sensitive,  so  that  the  slightest  rough  touch,  at  such  a 
time,  was  sure  to  open  the  flood-gates  of  well  pent-up,  well- 
guarded  and  long-suppressed  grief. 

Oh,  how  her  heart  did  melt  and  the  tears  flow !  And 
now  that  dear  boy  is  away  from  her  this  day,  and  her 
heart  is  still  in  sorrow  about  him,  for  he  has  been  allured 
away  from  her  by  her  enemies,  and  is  married  prematurely, 
so  that,  with  all  her  hopefulness,  she  trembles  for  his  happi- 
ness. Oh  that  God  Avould  at  once  set  her  free  from  all  her 
fears  ;  give  her  the  desires  of  her  heart,  and  let  her  have  some 
joy  for  all  her  trouble  and  sorrow  in  this  world,  which  she 
has  long  waded  through. 

Things  did  not  go  smoothly  long  at  a  time  during  these 
days,  for  now  they  had  a  double  warfare.  Her  sister 
having  married  Jerome,  there  was  now  a  double  portion 
of  tongues  to  fly  about  the  two  sisters,  and  the  reason  why 
we  shall  mention  him  so  often,  is  the  important  bearing  he 
had  on  her  happiness.  And  although  as  lovely  and  amiable 
as  Josephine  in  many  of  her  ways  and  forbearance,  yet 
Jerome's  family,  like  ISTapoleon  Bonaparte's  relations,  took 
it  upon  them  to  dislike  her ;  for  what,  we  never  could  tell, 
unless  it  was  because  she  was  too  good  and  straightforward 
for  them. 


AND   HUSKS  OF 


SWINE. 


193 


One  Sabbath,  while  Mrs.  Smith  was  yet  confined,  her 

nearest  neighbor,  Mrs.  H  ,  came  over  to  see  her.  Her 

manner  was  so  soft  and  kind,  that  Mrs.  Smith  thought 
surely  she  was  the  best  old  lady  in  the  world.  Some  little 
music  was  going  on,  as  they  had  an  instrument  in  the 
house,  brought  there  by  Mrs.  Smith's  father.  Jerome  and 
liis  wife  were  there  that  evening.  Mrs.  Smith  looked  at 
her  sister  and  her  babe,  and  thought  of  both  their-  situ- 
ations, and  then  she  cried  again.  They  were  delicious  tears, 
such  as  one  sheds  from  a  conscious  innocence  being  op- 
pressed. 

Jerome's  dislike  to  his  brother's  wife  originated  from  his 
hearing  that  she  did  not  want  him  to  have  her  sister,  for 
one  must  not  disapprove  cmything  done  by  these  Smiths,  no 
matter  how  modestly  and  lady-like  done.  Although  he 
spoke  of  bucketing  his  brother  Napoleon  for  marrying,  so 
soon  after  his  wife's  death,  an  English  doll,  as  he  called  her, 
yet  he  was  as  eager,  and  actually  did  marry  Mrs.  Smith's  sister 
in  less  time,  after  his  wife's  death,  than  his  brother  had 
done.  Another  proof,  among  many,  that  men  often  do 
themselves  things  which  they  condemn  in  others. 

Another  Sabbath  afternoon,  before  Mrs.  Smith  was  abroad 
again,  Jerome  and  his  wife  called  to  see  her  again.  She 
looked  wistfully  at  her  dear  sister,  as  much  as  to  say,  "  Ah ! 
poor  bird,  you  are  caught,  too  ?  You  will  have  your  troubles, 
too  !  "  Surely  her  face  must  have  been  a  great  tell-tale  sure 
enough,  a  mirror,  —  a  transparent  glass,  —  for  Jerome  said 
to  his  wife  on  their  return  home : 

"  What  makes  Grace  look  at  you  so,  as  if  she  thought 
you  would  have  trouble,  too  ? "  His  wife  replied,  "  She  did 
not  know  that  she  did." 

Jerome  had  once  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
but  ^before  his  first  wife's  death  had  been  attending  and 
was  concerned  in  the  sports  of  the  field — horse-racing,  and,  it 
17  N 


194 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


was  said,  had  gambled,  too,  so  that  now  lie  was  owing  a 
good  deal  of  money. 

Shortly  after  his  second  marriage,  he  took  his  wife  back 
into  the  old  State,  and  she  bought  dresses  for  all  his 
daughters  —  four  in  number. 


CHAPTER  X. 

JEKOME  SMITH. 

SOME  time  in  March  Napoleon  Smith  had  a  log-rolling, 
as  is  customary  in  new  settlements.  Mrs.  Smith  was  out 
near  a  little  branch  that  morning,  immediately  after  break- 
fast, endeavoring  to  find  a  place  to  call  on  the  Lord,  for 
she  saw  trouble  in  the  future. 

Jerome  passed  her,  in  company  with  her  other  brother- 
in-law,  going  to  the  log-rolling.  She  thought  there  was 
something  strange  in  his  manner.  Smith  had  wished  their 
dinners  sent  to  the  field,  which  she  took  a  great  deal  of 
pains  to  do,  and  sent  a  splendid  dinner,  very  difierent  from 
what  they  prepare  generally  for  such  occasions.  The  ser- 
vants brought  word  that  Mr.  Jerome  would  not  eat  any  of 
their  good  dinner.  Mrs.  Smith  was  now  convinced  that 
something  was  up,  but  could  not  divine  what  it  was.  There 
was  nearly  always  something  up  in  Napoleon's  family,  and 
it  did  not  take  much,  or  nothing  at  all,  to  have  those  ups 
often  among  them.  But  this  was  a  new  quarter  whence 
to  look  out  for  squalls.  She  knew  not  Jerome's  disposition, 
but,  of  course,  feared  it  might  be  like  his  brother's.  She 
was  not  kept  long  in  suspense  —  not  more  than  twelve  hours, 
at  least. 


AND 


HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


195 


In  the  evening  of  the  day,  as  they  returned  from  work, 
she  saw  her  husband  and  his  brother  walking  along  slowly, 
apart  from  all  the  others,  as  if  in  close  conversation.  As 
if  the  finger  of  God  had  pointed  at  them,  it  was  impressed 
on  her  mind,  as  vivid  as  a  lightning  flash,  that  trouble, 
some  way  connected  with  her  sister  or  herself,  or  both,  was, 
sure  enough,  bremng.  She  said  not  a  word  to  her  husband 
about  anything  particularly  until  next  morning,  when  she 
asked  him  why  his  brother  ate  no  dinner  the  day  before. 
I  reckon  he  has  some  one  to  give  him  trouble!^' 

Infamous  fool !  Why  did  you  not  try  to  prevent  his  having 
this  some  one  from  trouhling  your  spendthrift  brother?  This 
we  add,  for  Mrs.  Smith  did  not  think  of  such  an  outburst 
again  from  her  beautiful  husband  at  that  time. 

He  continued:  "The  poor  fellow  is  almost  distracted." 

Poor  fool !  Why  did  you  not  then  go  to  T  to  get  you 

a  wife,  and  get  whole  distracted  ?  It  was,  however,  to  Mrs. 
N.  Smith  a  stab  with  a  barbed  and  poisoned  arrow.  "  O 
men !  "  she  mentally  said,  "will  ye  all  deceive?"  Here  was 
the  unkindest  rub  of  all. 

Smith  had  been  married  to  his  wife  more  than  four  years, 
and  his  wife's  sister  had  been  an  inmate  of  their  family  for 
full  eighteen  months,  had  done  all  the  sewing  of  the  family, 
and  attended  to  the  domestic  concerns  when  her  sister  was 
at  school.  His  eldest  son  would  have  been  the  proudest 
fellow  in  the  world  to  have  married  her,  if  she  would  have 
deigned  to  accept  him.  She  was,  as  has  been  before  stated,  a 
smart,  nice  girl,  and  considered  a  great  beauty.  If  there 
had  been  anything  amiss  in  her  or  his  wife,  why  did  he  not 
warn  his  brother  ?    But  no,  he  urged  on  the  match. 

J erome  had  persuaded  the  other  brother-in-law  to  move 
out  there.  His  generous  impulses  being  greater  than  his 
circumstances,  after  wasting  all  he  had  in  the  old  State,  he 
had  promised  to  assist  him,  as  he  was  poorer  than  either 


196  BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 

Jerome  or  Napoleon,  tliougli  his  father  was  as  well  off  as 
either  of  them.  It  seemed  he  had  promised  more  than  he 
was  willing  to  perform,  in  the  way  of  provisions  ;  and  now, 
when  his  brother-in-law  sent  the  second  time  for  some  corn, 
instead  of  acting  like  a  man,  and  sending  him  word  that  he 
had  no  more  corn  to  spare,  he  skulked  off  to  the  field  with 
his  eldest  son,  and  sent  a  negro  to  tell  the  servant  he  had 
no  more  corn  for  him ;  his  wife  not  knowing  what  it  meant. 
So  the  next  Sabbath  they  were  all  at  Napoleon  Smith's 
again  —  Jerome  and  his  wife,  the  brother-in-law  and  his 
wife,  who  was  a  sister  of  the  two  Mrs.  Smiths.  Grace 
Smith,  who  loved  the  house  of  God  more  than  all  kindred 
or  all  the  world,  had  induced  her  husband  to  go  to  class- 
meeting  with  her,  and  to  preaching,  three  or  four  miles  off. 
During  their  absence,  Jerome's  wife  and  her  other  sister 
walked  into  the  new  house  that  Napoleon  Smith  was  having 
erected.  Jerome's  guilty  conscience  thought  they  had  gone 
there  for  the  purpose  of  talking  over  the  matter. 

Napoleon  and  his  wife  soon  returned  from  church.  All 
had  apparently  been  enjoying  themselves  well.  Mrs.  N. 
Smith  felt  calm  and  happy,  as  a  Christian  ought  to  feel  who 
has  left  the  troubled  world  and  gone  to  get  her  heart  im- 
bued with  heavenly  and  divine  things  by  the  outpouring 
of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  She  noticed  that  Jerome  seemed 
to  be  in  a  fever,  for  when  some  of  the  family  asked  some  of 
his  daughters  to  remain  with  them  during  the  night,  "  Stay 
at  home,"  said  he,  "  and  then  there  will  be  no  lies  told  on 
you,"  with  a  bitter  retort,  as  if  he  had  a  whole  host  of 
enemies  before  him.  What  is  the  matter,  Mr.  Jerome 
Smith?  No  one  will  be  particularly  aggrieved,  if  your 
daughters  do  not  remain  at  their  uncle's  to-night.  True, 
Mrs.  Grace  Smith,  as  a  loving,  social  lady,  liked  to  have  her 
husband's  nieces  about  her.  But  there  was  such  an  under- 
current going  on,  and  she  had  hardly  as  yet  got  an  inkling 


AXD   HUSKS    OF  S^I^'E. 


197 


of  it,  —  the  'hvo  sets  of  cousins  getting  together  and  dis- 
cussing the  merits  or  demerits  of  their  respective  step- 
mothers :  in  short,  doing  a  little,  if  not  a  good  deal,  of  -what 
Jerome  said  in  another  direction,  telling  lies, — that  now 
her  happy,  buoyant  spirit  was  beclouded  by  the  atmosphere 
of  so  many  ungenial  spirits,  and  she  did  not  know  which 
was  the  one  or  one  from  another,  in  the  double  camp  of 
disaffection,  and  she  really  did  not  care  whether  they  re- 
mained or  not,  for  they  would  be  no  company  for  her; 
her  religious  tastes  were  in  no  favor  with  them  :  but  oftener 
than  any  other  way,  if  not  willingly,  they  would  be  lured  oil 
in  some  nook  or  corner  with  ZN  apoleons  children,  and  there 
sit  or  stand  and  have  holy  confab,  some  whispering,  back- 
biting tale  about  their  aunt  and  stepmother.  Xo  one  wishes 
much  company  under  such  delectable  circumstances.  As 
Grace  did  not  understand  what  Jerome  was  driving  at,  she 
made  no  reply. 

yow  the  night  before  the  log-rolling,  Jerome  undertook 
to  drink  hiniself  drunk,  and  abused  his  wife  ^ith  his  tongue. 
Then  he  thundered  out  what  he  had  thought  the  Sabbath. 

before,     These  d  d  long  talks  he  had  no  use  for."' 

Alludino:  to  his  wife  and  her  sister  walkinof  into  the  new 
house  to  see,  and  perhaps  to  talk,  too,  if  they  wished.  It 
was  a  much  longer  walk  and  talk  than  he  took  with  his 
brother  ZSTapoleon.  That  was  on  his  side :  all  was  well  then. 
Tyrants  never  want  others  to  do  as  they  allow  themselves 
to  do.  But  his  wife  was  a  spiiited  lady,  and  not  as  taciturn 
as  Mrs.  Grace  Smith. 

''I'll  talk  vAili  ray  relauoihs  ichen  I  phase,''  said  the  spuited 
lady. 

■■  G          d         you  and  your  relations,  too  I '""  said  he. 

D         scamps  1 

Heigh-ho  I  bravo,  ]\Ir.  Jerome  I  to  whom  are  you  talking  ? 
Is  this  the  wire  you  intended  to  go  so  far  to  get  ?  or  is  it  the 
17*  ' 


198 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


beautiful  young  lady  whom  you  were  in  such  a  hurry  to 
marry?  All  this  in  less  than  three  months.  Was  Mrs. 
Grace  Smith  wrong  in  her  fears  about  you  ?  And  all  this 
was,  as  far  as  we  can  see,  without  any  fault  on  his  wife's 
part  or  side.  But  Grace  had  not  feared  even  so  much  as 
this.  Profane  language  had  never  been  sounded  in  her  ears 
in  her  married  life,  nor  even  with  a  drinking  father,  like 
some  do  on  such  occasions.  The  case  was  really  worse 
than  her  fears.  All  this  happening  before  the  night  of  the 
day  following  the  famous  log-rolling.  This  was  the  pretty 
mess  Jerome  and  his  brother  were  talking  over  by  the  way- 
side from  the  field.  For,  like  a  great  many  men,  he  had  to 
run  to  relations  to  tell  his  troubles,  when  he  had  made 
them  himself,  and  get  sympathy,  when  he  needed  it  only,  or 
deserved  it  only  for  his  vices.  But  woe  to  the  wife,  if  she 
should  also  seek  sympathy  from  the  same  source.  Then 
for  Smith  to  say  to  his  wife  Grace,  "  I  reckon  he  has  some 
one  to  give  him  trouble ! "  "  O  my  soul,  come  not  thou 
into  their  secret ;  unto  their  assembly,  mine  honor,  be  not 
thou  united."  Surely  many  volumes  could  be  written  on 
the  subject  of  the  cruelty  of  men  to  their  wives. 

While  we  write  to- day,  an  amiable  young  woman  is  a 
corpse,  and  now  gone  to  the  grave,  who  was  married  to  a 
v/idower  in  this  place.  About  five  or  six  months  ago, 
when  she  was  full  of  grief  at  the  death  of  an  only  sister, 
her  husband  came  to  her  already  woe-stricken  father,  and 
told  him  his  daughter  was  getting  very  lazy,  and  would  not 
attend  to  anything,  and  unless  there  was  an  alteration,  there 
would  be  a  separation.  The  separation  took  place.  The 
poor  young  woman,  being  in  a  delicate  situation,  was 
laid  low  on  a  bed  of  affliction.  He  helped  to  carry  her  back 
to  her  father's ;  and  there  she  has  sufiTered  ever  since,  till 
night  before  last,  when  she  gave  birth  to  a  poor  little  boy- 
child.    Yesterday  she  died,  and  now  is  on  the  way  to  her 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


199 


grave !  O  man,  thy  cruelty  never  will  be  knoTrn  till  the 
clay  of  judgment! 

But  it  seems  as  if  passion's  rage  is  not  to  stop  here.  Two 
of  the  prominent  men  of  the  town  —  one  a  young  man  of 
promise,  the  other  a  married  man,  with  a  sweet  wife  and 
four  little  children  —  have  gone  out  to  fight  a  duel !  Is  the 
devil  turned  loose  to  do  what  he  pleases,  by  inflaming  their 
minds  in  deadly  hate  to  one  another.  Oh,  if  it  were  our 
own  children,  what  could  w^e  do?  Just  to-day,  as  we  saw 
that  young  man  walking  up  the  square,  as  we  have  often 
seen  him  walking,,  those  words  of  Kebuchadnezzer,  king 
of  Babylon,  came  to  our  mind,  and  "those  that  walk  in 
pride.  He  is  able  to  abase."  Of  which  truth  he  was  a 
striking  example,  when  this  proud  monarch  was  humbled 
in  the  dust  before  the  "God  of  heaven."  The  married  gen- 
tleman we  have  seen  walk  the  streets  ofttimes,  and  we  thought 
him  particularly  careless  about  his  soul's  salvation.  And 
O  our  soul,  what  is  the  result  ?  are  they  both  killed,  or  will 
one  or  the  other  fall  ?  All  the  wiiole  town  was  in  excite- 
ment ;  half  the  male  citizens  followed  for  the  purpose  of 
dissuading  them  from  this  work  of  death  and  destruction. 
We  could  not  sleep.  An  angel  of  a  young  woman  followed 
in  the  person  of  the  young  man's  sister  —  all,  all  was  in  a 
stir.  Next  morning  they  returned — the  angel  of  peace 
had  prevailed  against  the  angel  of  death.  All  hail !  we 
cried,  as  we  met  the  married  gentleman,  that  you  have  re- 
turned alive !  All  hail !  said  all  the  friends,  and  the  town 
was  in  quiet  and  at  rest.  These  men  lived  many  years  after, 
but  are  now  both  dead,  and  know  the  truth  of  eternity. 

But  to  return.  This  conduct  of  Jerome  Smith's  did  not 
stop  here.  Some  say  that  bad  beginnings  make  good  end- 
ings. The  contrary  to  this  is  our  opinion  and  experience. 
Observation  too  often  has  shown  the  revei^e.  No  general 
rule  without  exceptions,  is  an  old  saying.     Soon  after 


200 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEJ^, 


Napoleon  Smith  had  let  out  his  budget  of  secrets,  "he 
reckoned  he  had  some  one  to  give  him  trouble,''  Jerome  came 
in  quite  sober  this  time.  Some  one  had  brought  some  butter 
for  Grace  to  buy,  and  although  they  needed  it  for  the 
table.  Napoleon  Smith  said  she  might  pay  for  it  herself  if 
ghe  bought  it. 

"  Tell  him,"  said  Jerome,  "  he  ought  to  pay  for  it,"  for, 
to  do  him  justice,  he  was  more  generous  in  many  things 
than  his  brother  was.  But  Mrs.  Smith  thought  him  so  in- 
sincere on  this  occasion  in  offering  to  favor  her  side,  after 
what  had  passed,  she  turned  from  him,  and  said,  "  If  she  were 
to  pay  for  the  butter  herself,  it*would  not  be  the  first  time 
she  had  paid  for  things  for  the  family  out  of  her  own  earn- 
ings, for  she  had  just  a  little  while  before  advanced  fifty 
dollars  to^buy  a  beef  and  other  things  for  the  family." 

Jerome  knew  not  what  his  brother  had  been  telling  his 
wife.  If  he  had  been  a  prudent  man,  from  mere  policy,  it 
seems,  he  might  have  kept  to  himself  what  his  brother  had 
said.  But  he  was  so  much  in  the  habit  of  letting  out  every- 
thing of  the  kind  to  his  wife,  because  she  heard  and  often 
said  nothing,  we  suppose  he  thought  it  all  right  for  her  to 
hear  herself  blamed,  and  then  her  beautiful  sister,  too.  But 
she  now,  for  the  first  time  in  her  married  life,  began  to  sus- 
pect them,  and  went  out  and  left  them  to  hold  their  unholy 
council  together,  as  she  thought  they  would  be  pretty 
apt  to  carry  on,  now  they  had  begun.  She  went  to  the 
kitchen  to  see  about  the  affairs  there. 

When  Jerome  left,  she  was  standing  with  her  back  to 
him,  and  did  not  turn  round.  He  seemed  to  cast  in  his 
mind  what  it  meant,  for  he  did  not  know  what  she  had 
heard ;  for  he  said  some  years  later,  he  could  not  tell  how 
Grace  should  know  everything  he  said  or  did  in  a  moment 
of  time.  Ah !  there  was  an  electricity  in  these  things 
which  needed  not  much  revealing.    Her  already  sharpened 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


201 


sight  and  wits  had,  by  this  time,  seen  enough  to  know  what 
a  hint,  a  look,  or  walking  together  meant.  Her  already 
lacerated  heart  could  be  very  easily  set  to  bleeding  afresh. 
Buch  people  were  no  fit  associates  for  a  refined  Christian 
spirit.  If  she  was  wrong,  why  not  tell  her  so  in  plain 
terms,  and  not  accuse  or  suspect  without  cause,  and  then 
serve  her  beloved  sister  in  the  same  way  ?  But  now  that 
Jerome  appeared  to  be  in  a  better  state  of  mind,  ought  she 
to  have  noticed  his  past  conduct  with  indilference  ? 

Grace  thought  him  deceptive,  as  most  persons  are  in  all 
such  cases ;  ■  and  such  were  her  truthfulness  and  honesty,  she 
could  never  look  upon  a  departure  from  these  nohle  traits 
of  character  with  any  allowance.  Because,  what  j^urpose 
do  duplicity  and  double  dealing  answer,  but  the  revelation 
of  their  possessor's  heart  ?  and  then  the  aversion  consequent 
on  such  a  development  to  an  honest,  candid,  noble  miud. 
By  this  time  she  had  seen  so  much  of  it  in  the  families, 
that  she  thought  there  was  little  else  among  them.  And 
she  thought  very  nearly  right  in  this  matter,  with  regard  to 
the  bearing  they  had  towards  the  two  sisters. 

The  rub  now  was,  that  they  had  her  husband  in  it,  who 
had,  by  his  canting,  always  pretended  that  he  was  hers 
alone,  though  he  might  have  been  in  it  all  the  time,  but 
such  a  thought  had  never  presented  itself  to  her  before. 
Formerly,  he  was  so  at  variance,  or  pretended  to  be,  with  his 
first  wife's  relations  and  his  children  —  real  or  pretended, 
we  cannot  say — yet  she  never  thought  him  leagued  with 
any  of  them,  and  whether  he  was,  God  only  knows.  Per- 
haps some  of  the  old  negroes  were  his  confidants  when  the 
fits  were  on  him.  But  now,  O  God !  she  was  sure  he  had 
an  ally  in  his  brother,  and  woe  to  her  small  grain  of 
happiness  !  It  would  be  worse  than  ever,  which  indeed  was 
the  fact.  O  Lord  God,  thou  righteous  judge  of  quick 
and  dead,  what  did  she  not  sufier  for  the  next  ten  years  that 


202 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEK, 


came?  No  tongue  on  this  earth  can  tell.  Better  for  her  a 
thousand  times,  if  she  could  have  had  her  two  little  boys 
with  her,  and  have  left  them  forever.  And  when  the  last 
little  boy  was  born,  oh,  how  she  did  wish  such  a  thing,  if  it 
could  have  been  possible,  that  she  might  leave  this  wicked 
family  in  which  she  was  such  a  bone  of  contention.  But 
the  devil  is  not  so  ready  to  let  his  captives  go,  although 
always  growling  at  them. 

Ye  ghosts  of  the  past,  we  invoke  you  again  ;  come  forth 
from  your  long  resting-places !  These  ghost  of  past  words 
and  acts  are  slumbering  before  the  throne  of  God,  waiting 
the  dread  day  of  open  development  and  righteous  judg- 
ment. .  .  .  That  Mrs.  Smith  was  destined  to  meet  with 
many  troubles,  everything  seemed  now  to  portend,  and  that 
Jerome  Smith  was  to  give  shape  and  coloring  to  her  troubles, 
she  could  but  divine.  As  her  mind  partook  more  of  the 
spiritual  than  of  the  natural,  she  dwelt  much  in  holy  con- 
templation of  the  spirit  land. 

One  night,  in  visions  of  the  night,  it  appeared  that  she 
was  riding  with  Jerome  Smith  in  a  carriage ;  meanwhile 
the  heavens  grew  black  and  lowering,  and  the  rain  was 
pouring  down  in  torrents  on  them.  Then  she  was  running 
for  her  life  through  mud  and  water,  lifting  up  her  hands  to 
heaven,  and  saying,  "  Yes,  I  am  known  in  the  upper  worlds ! 
Yes,  I  am  known  in  the  upper  worlds !  O  ye  howling  devils, 
how  ye  do  hate  to  see  this !  "  After  such  a  vision,  it  would 
have  been  well  for  her  to  have  quit  her  present  place  of 
abode,  for  to  her  such  visions  of  the  night  always  were  a 
warning  of  coming  troubles ;  and  yet  she  did  not  then  so 
view  it,  but  the  next  day  went  about  singing,  "  The  Lord  is 
my  Shepherd,  etc.,"  and  was  happy  all  day,  until  she  heard 
an  oath  from  her  father,  who  was  at  work  in  some  part  of 
the  yard.    This  troubled  her. 

That  day  they  moved  into  their  new  house,  being  the 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


203 


tentli  day  of  May,  18 — ,  Tvliich  house  had  been  dedicated 
to  the  Lord,  by  ha\^Rg  the  gospel  pi-eached  in  it,  some 
fiye  months  prior  to  that  time,  when  it  was  being  erected. 
Some  short  time  before  this  one  of  the  class  leaders  had 
told  her  there  would  be  a  quarterly  meeting  oyer  the  riyer 
in  the  month  of  May,  not  exceeding  fiye  or  six  miles  dis- 
tant. She  set  her  heart  on  going ;  and  the  day  before  it 
came  on  worked  hard  all  day  to  make  a  pair  of  pants  for 
her  husband,  for  he  had  promised  to  go  with  her.  But 
behold,  when  the  morning  came,  (Saturday,)  some  desperate 
freak  as  usual,  when  church  going  was  in  question,  or  any- 
thing else  but  his  own  lusts,  took  him  as  formerly,  and  he 
forgot  all  his  fair  promises  of  going  with  her  when  they 
should  come  to  this  new  country. 

He  would  not  go,  but,  stubborn  as  an  old  mule,  took  his 
gun  and  went  to  the  field.  Mrs.  Smith  was  troubled, — for  no 
wife,  with  any  sensibility  whateyer,  could  ha  ye  been  other- 
wise, —  but  took  one  of  his  little  sons  and  went  —  a  son  that 
figured  much  afterwards  towards  this  poor,  unsuspecting 
woman ;  one,  before  whom  had  his  father  set  a  proper  ex- 
-  ample,  perhaps  might  haye  made  a  good  man,  respectful 
to  his  father's  wife,  if  he  had  not  loyed  her. 

The  Keyerend  Mr.  S          B          S         preached  that 

day,  and,  oh,  how  like  the  honey  and  honeycomb  were  the 
precious  words  of  Christ  which  he  preached !  Mrs.  Smith 
was  eyer,  especially  on  these  sad  occasions,  in  an  Elysium 
.  of  bliss  when  she  could  hear  the  gospel  preached.  She 
returned  home,  and  carried  the  balm  with  her. 

The  next  day  being  the  Sabbath,  as  there  was  to  be  loye- 

feast,  she  wished  to  go  early.    Brother  S  told  her  how 

she  might  get  there  in  time,  saying  there  were  so  many 
hours  before  nine  o'clock,  all  of  which  she  knew,  but  re- 
plied, "  When  all  the  wheels  of  a  wagon  were  clogged  but 
one,  it  was  hard  moying."  And  so  it  was,  indeed.    Or  per- 


204 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEK, 


haps  the  principal  wheel  being  clogged,  there  could  be 
no  steady  motion.  The  servants  and  dear  cook  being  up 
early,  as  they  knew  their  mistress  wished  an  early  start, 
had  breakfast  betimes,  and  all  things  ready. 

Smith  did  not  intend  to  go  this  day,  either.  Oh,  when  a 
man  is  sunk  down  into  the  mire  of  the  world,  what,  but 
Omnipotent  power,  can  move  him?  And  he  had  resisted 
the  still,  small  voice  of  God,  till  if  it  spoke  to  him  at  all  he 
heeded  it  not. 

It  was  drizzling  rain  a  little.  Mrs.  Smith  was  all  ready 
to  start,  and  expected  to  go  by  taking  some  of  the  children 
or  servants  with  her.  Smith  said  it  was  raining  too  much, 
and  persuaded  her  not  to  go.  She  had  not  yet  resisted  unto 
blood,  striving  against  sin.  She  had  not  yet  come  to  the 
point  to  go  church  at  all  hazards,  even  though  he  heated  a 
burning  oven  for  her.  So  she  gave  in,  much  as  she  longed 
to  be  at  the  love-feast  and  at  "  Salem's  peaceful  tents." 
She  sat  down  calm  and  quiet  as  a  lamb,  thinking  God  was 
at  home  as  well  as  at  church,  for  she  had  carried  a  goodly 
portion  of  the  heavenly  manna  with  her  to  her  home  the 
day  before.  But  how  ardently  she  had  desired  to  meet 
with  the  Lord's  people  that  day,  especially  as  the  day 
advanced.  The  tents  of  wickedness  afforded  no  food  for 
her  mind  and  soul.  Everything  became  stale,  and  before 
evening  came  she  wished  that  she  had  gone,  for  she  would 
then  have  got  her  spiritual  tastes  elevated  and  spiritual 
appetite  appeased. 

And  what  a  "  Methodist  and  Christian  "  was  Smith,  that 
he  could  not  ride  five  miles  to  church  with  his  wife  ?  See, 
he  had  already  "  returned,  as  the  sow  to  her  wallowing  in 
the  mire,"  and  forgot  his  particular  promise  of  attending 
church  with  her  constantly  in  this  new  State.  This  was 
keeping  his  promises  with  a  vengeance,  for  nothing  but  the 
gross,  sensual  love  of  the  world  kept  him  away.    If  there 


AND 


HUSKS  OF 


S WIXE. 


205 


had  been  five  hundred  dollars  promised  that  day  to  him  at 
that  meeting-house,  we  venture  the  assertion,  —  and  think 
the  God  of  heaven  will  bear  witness  to  its  truthfulness, — 
that  all  the  rain  that  fell  that  day,  nor  five  times  as  much, 
would  not  have  kept  him  from  going  to  receive  it.  Tliis 
reduces  things  to  demonstration.  "  Where  a  man's  treasure 
is,  there  is  his  heart  also." 

We  think  this  quite  a  desideratum.  If  a  man,  or  any 
individual,  would  go  to  a  place  under  rather  inconvenient 
circumstances  for  the  sake  of  gain,  and  at  the  same  time 
would  not  go  for  religious  purposes,  we  think  it  without 
doubt  shows  the  love  of  the  world  to  be  in  the  ascendency, 
and  religious  concerns  to  be  on  the  wane.  But  now  he  be- 
gan to  have  a  jealous  eye  about  the  preachers,  as  he  had 
previously  about  Mr.  Evans.  Mrs.  Smith  had  flattered 
herself,  when  they  Aoved  out  to  this  rough  country,  he 
would  lose  sight  of  Evans,  and  all  his  unjust  jealousies  on 
that  subject.  And  that  one  thing  reconciled  her  to  the 
move  above  every  other  consideration.  "  Let  me  hie  away 
to  the  wilderness,"  she  said  to  herself,  "  mayhap  I  may  have 
peace  then,"  never  thinking  or  dreaming  that  he  could 
have  the  audacity  and  barbarity,  the  sacrilege,  to  begin  on 
the  poor  little  pitiful  preachers,  as  some  of  them  were. 

[N'ot  a  great  while  after  this  quarterly  meeting  had  passed, 

the  Reverend  ]Mr.  S  sent  word  that,  as  he  expected 

shortly  to  pass  that  way  to  another  meeting  of  the  same 
kind  he  was  intending  to  hold  at  the  first  place  where  Mrs. 
Smith  had  attended  Methodist  preaching  soon  after  her 
arrival  in  the  new  State,  he  would  call  and  tarry  one  night 
with  them  on  his  way  thither.  Mrs.  Smith  was  very  glad 
to  hear  of  the  coming  of  the  man  of  God.  And  as  was  her 
custom,  she  frequently  had  a  general  house  cleaning,  espe- 
cially when  she  expected  to  have  company,  and  above  all 
the  people  of  God,  for  if  there  was  any  class  of  people  on 
18 


206 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


eartli  that  Mrs.  Smith  held  in  most  exalted  estimation,  it 
was  the  household  of  faith.  The  ministers  of  God  were 
venerated  by  her  to  the  highest  degree.  She  had  had  most 
noble  examples  in  this  class  of  persons  ;  for  had  she  not  been 
nourished  and  fed  under  the  ministry  of  the  great  and  good 
Dr.  L.  Pierce  and  Bishop  Andrew,  who  "were  giants  in 
those  days  "  ?  Previous  to  this  time  she  had  never  known 
any  who  were  messengers  of  gospel  grace  to  sinful  man  to 
disgrace  the  cause  of  God  and  dishonor  their  profession ; 
nor  had  they  degenerated  to  the  veriest  pigmies  on  the 
earth,  (as  some  did  in  this  section  of  country,  afterwards.) 
For  there  was  that  torchlight  in  the  ministry  of  gospel 
grace  in  her  youthful  days,  —  the  faithful  and  burning  fire, 

—  young  Pope,  who  read  the  word  of  God  on  his  knees, 
and  was  a  swift  seraphim  in  pleaching  the  word,  and  soon 
•went  home  to  his  reward.  There  was  the  learned  Adiel 
Sherwood,  the  great  Dr.  Cummins,  the  good  Reverend  Jack 
Lumpkins,  all  these  had  been  her  teachers,  and  now 
must  she  look  with  indifference  on  any  that  claimed  to  be 
ambassadors  of  Christ  in  behalf  of  poor  sinning  human 
Tjeings  ?  Neither  had  they,  in  the  good  old  State,  become  a 
byword  and  a  proverb  throughout  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  land ;  such,  at  least,  had  never  come  under  her  ob- 
servation. She  had  her  lines  in  more  pleasant  places,  and 
verily  had  a  goodly  heritage.  For  we  bear  her  record,  as 
the  Apostle  says,  if  it  had  been  possible,  "  she  would  have 
plucked  out  her  eyes  for  them,  and  received  them  as  angels 

—  yea,  even  as  Christ  Jesus."  And  wherefore  ?  Because 
she  considered  them  as  the  representatives  of  Jesus  Christ. 
She  had  been,  during  all  the  morning  of  her  days,  eye-wit- 
ness of  the  most  noble  examples  to  venerate;  and  who 
would  bring  anything  to  the  charge  of  this  woman  of  God, 
for  obeying  the  word  of  the  Lord  in  this  matter?  She 
looked  upon  them  as  the  vicegerents  of  Christ  on  earth. 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


207 


to  do  His  vrill,  and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good-will  and  peace 
towards  men. 

Xot  so  with  Mr.  Smith ;  but  whether  it  was  from  the 
loss  of  the  love  of  God  out  of  his  soul,  or  experience  and 
knowledge  of  the  conduct  of  those  among  whom  he  had 
chosen  to  have  his  lot  cast,  judge  ye  ;  for  he  had  many  a 
tale  concerning  their  misdemeanors  to  fill  his  wife's  ears 
with,  so  that  he  had  or  pretended  to  be  awfully  prejudiced 
and  poisoned  against  this  class  of  mankind.  So  much  so, 
that  .we  haye  heard  him  say  he  would  rather  a  wife  or 
daughter  of  his  should  marry  a  negro  fellow  than  a 
preacher.  His  only  surviving  sister  had  married  a  preacher, 
hence  arose  a  great  many  of  his  prejudices,  which  were 
always  very  strong  and  unreasonable,  and  also  the  warfare 
that  will  follow.  Wonder  if  Gabriel  had  come  on  the  car- 
pet as  a  man,  and  talked  and  looked  at  Mrs.  Smith  a  little, 
if  Smith  would  not  have  got  jealous  ? 

We  are  now  about  to  commence  a  new  phase  of  jealousy 
and  persecution  of  his  innocent  wife,  concerning  this  class 
of  people,  now  that  Evans  was  left  behind.  For  Mrs. 
Smith  was  a  women  of  sense,  and,  although  greatly  influ- 
enced by  her  husband,  —  too  much,  alas  !  unless  his  influ- 
ence had  been  more  genial,  for  his  influence  distorted  her, 
and  made  her  appear  in  many  things  not  her  own  true, 
noble  self,  —  yet  she  could  not  on  eveiy  occasion  despise 
people  as  he  did,  without  cause  or  offence.  Moreover,  if 
she  had  cause  against  any  one,  she  was  sure  to  let  him  or 
her  know  it,  and  hence  could  not  speak  against  people  as 
Smith  did,  and  never  let  them  know  her  real  sentiments 
towards  them.  And  was  not  the  love  of  the  world  at  the 
bottom  of  all  his  hatred  to  the  ministers  of  God  ?  Should 
he  not  have  discriminated  between  the  good  and  the  bad, 
and  have  regulated  his  conduct  accordingly  ?  Would  not 
any  of  the  preachers  have  had  subject-matter  of  complaint 


208 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


against  liim  equal  to  his  against  them,  if  they  had  known 
his  private  character  ? 

On  that  day  Smith's  eldest  son  would  be  going  about 
over  the  yard,  and  among  the  servants,  and  would  be  say- 
ing to  all  who  came  in  his  way,  "  God  Almighty  is  expected 
down  to-night !  "  and  pass  many  profane  and  ribald  jokes. 
He  even  went  to  Mrs.  Smith's  sister,  and  said  the  same 
words  :  "  God  Almighty  is  expected  down  to-night,"  all 
because  Mrs.  Smith  was  having  cleaning  up  done,  —  no 
unusual  thing  for  her  to  have  done  in  that  family ;  for  she 
had  been  pursuing  the  plan  from  the  second  day  of  her 
entrance  among  them :  for  which  there  was  abundant  need 
—  and  the  more  so,  as  the  children,  some  of  them  especially, 
took  great  delight  in  carrying  in  two  pounds  of  red  clay, 
if  they  could  manage  so  to  do  ;  to  put  their  shoes,  thus 
loaded,  (without  scraping  or  pretending  to  wipe  on  a  foot- 
mat)  on  a  set  of  new  chairs, — nice  chairs, — because  they 
thought  their  father  purchased  them  at  the  request  of  his 
present  wife.  How  would  you  like  that  picture,  young 
ladies  ? 

Well,  now,  we  will  present  you  with  another  true  as  life, 
for  we  set  out,  in  this  narration,  to  say  as  little  as  possible 
of  the  children,  —  leaving  that  for  a  separate  work ;  for 
the  time  would  fail,  and  the  volume  swell  into  very  large 
dimensions,  to  tell  of  this  jealous  man,  his  children,  and 
negroes,  all  in  one  book.  It  Avould  be  so  long  and  tedious, 
one  would  tire  of  it  before  reaching  the  end.  Hence  we  set 
it  before  our  readers  in  different  dishes,  all  of  which  have 
some  variety,  which  is  the  spice  of  life.  We  deprecate  mo- 
notony on  all  occasions,  especially  in  a  book. 

Now  for  a  new  feature  in  the  case,  as  this  new  personage, 
the  preacher,  the  presiding  elder  of  that  district,  came  on 
the  stage.  Sure  enough,  that  evening  the  man  of  God 
came.    Mrs.  Smith,  in  all  her  life,  and  in  all  the  puzzles 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


209 


of  her  life,  never  was  so  tortured.  Smith  sat  in  the  front 
of  his  door  smoking  his  pipe,  and  did  not  move  any  more 
than  the  door-sill  on  which  he  sat,  with  an  old  leghorn  hat 
on  his  head.  Poor  Mrs.  Smith  did  not  know  what  to  do. 
She  was  afraid  to  go  out  to  meet  the  man  "of  God,  knowing 
the  peculiarities  of  her  dreadful  husband  ;  and  yet  there  he 
was  (the  minister  of  heaven")  standing  at  the  gate.  He  had 
sent  word  by  one  of  the  class-leaders  to  Smith  and  his  wife, 
that  he  was  coming  to  tarry  with  them  that  night,  and  now 
no  one  to  invite  him  to  alight  from  his  carriage  or  welcome 
him  to  the  house.  Mrs.  Smith  would  look  at  her  husband 
and  walk  half-way  to  the  gate,  look  back  at  her  husband 
again,  walk  a  little  farther,  and  then  recede.  All  this  time 
he  had  not  stirred  ;  he  was,  it  seemed,  chained  to  the  sill  of 
his  door,  and  his  tongue  paralyzed. 

At  length,  however,  to  break  the  dreadful  spell  which 
was  becoming  intolerable  to  Mrs.  Smith,  the  man  of  God 
asked  if  he  could  stay  all  night.  This  broke  the  silence 
that  was  felt ;  and  now  Mrs.  Smith,  being  obliged  to  act  in 
some  way,  went  a  little  nearer  towards  the  gate,  and  welcomed 
him.  Smith,  by  this  time,  did  make  out  to  rise  to  his  feet, 
and  when  he  arrived  at  the  door,  asked  this  messenger  of 
heaven  to  come  in.  Humph !  no  very  welcome  visitor,  it 
seemed,  to  the  old  gentleman,  —  old  by  sin  and  worldliness, 
for  he  was  not  yet  fifty  years  old.  But  his  wife  could  not 
see  it  then,  —  this  utter  lack  of  politeness  to  the  man  of 
God.  She  was  blind,  and  thought  it  his  way ;  which  we 
think  a  poor  way.  Did  not  his  sons  and  servants,  who 
were  in  the  background  of  the  picture  while  the  scene  was 
being  enacted,  have  eyes  to  see  all  this?  Did  they  not 
understand  it  better  than  she  did  ?  And  was  it  not  favoring 
their  wicked  cause  ?    Poor  man  ! 

The  preacher,  who  was  one  of  the  feeblest  in  body,  had 
toiled  and  travelled  all  day,  without  refreshment,  over  a 
18*  0 


210 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


very  hilly  country,  to  get  to  this  place ;  and  how  glad  was 
Mrs.  Smith  to  have  a  man  of  God  under  their  roof.  It  did 
not  seem  to  her  that  all  were  wicked,  as  some  would  fain 
represent  them.  Nay!  she  hiew  they  were  not.  He  con- 
versed with  the  family  while  supper  was  being  got  in  readi- 
ness ;  and,  oh,  how  pleasant  to  hear  his  conversation.  We 
thought  him  one  of  the  most  spiritual  and  heavenly-minded 
men  we  had  ever  met.  In  the  course  of  the  conversation, 
he  turned  to  Mrs.  Smith,  and  asked,  "  If  she  did  not  feel 
lost  in  and  among  these  hills." 
"  I  do,  indeed,"  she  replied. 

Mrs.  Smith  at  this  time  was  considered  a  beauty,  but  the 
beauty  of  intellect  and  goodness  of  heart  were  her  chief 
beauties  in  the  view  of  people  who  could  appreciate  these 
qualities.  She  possessed  a  perfect  form,  almost  faultless 
features,  deep  hazel-colored  eyes,  —  very  expressive  and 
penetrating,  large  enough  to  be  handsome,  for  out  of  them 
the  soul  shone  most  brilliantly  when  lighted  by  any  pleas- 
urable intellectual  or  spiritual  excitement, — soft  silken 
hair  of  a  deep,  dark,  auburn  color ;  high  intellectual  brow 
and  Grecian  nose ;  cheeks  indicating  mathematical  genius  ; 
skin  of  fair  color,  and  rosy  lips,  and  mouth  that  was  both 
decisive  and  yielding  in  its  developments;  intelligent 
countenance;  tall,  graceful,  and  easy  in  her  deportment, 
and  winning  in  her  manners,  so  that  one  would  naturally 
think  of  those  words  of  the  poet,  —  situated  as  she  was,  — 

"  Full  many  a  flower  is  born  to  blush  unseen, 
And  waste  its  sweetness  on  the  desert  air." 

And  a  gem  literally  buried  in  ocean  depths,  how  could  she 
ever  appear  to  the  world  what  she  really  was,  immersed 
in  these  depths  and  sea-weeds  ? 

Heaven  seemed  to  be  on  earth  in  the  presence  of  the 
man  of  God.    The  atmosphere  around  him  being  spiritual, 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


211 


the  imps  of  darkness  slunk  into  the  back-ground  for  the 
present,  at  least.  .  .  .  Next  morning,  Mrs.  Smith  was  very 
anxious  to  attend  this  quarterly  meeting  whither  the  min- 
ister Vv^as  bound ;  the  more  so  as  she  had,  through  Smith's 
freaks,  missed  the  other.  Smith  was  this  time  persuaded 
to  go.  If  he  would  have  allowed  himself  to  be  often  in  the 
company  and  under  the  influence  of  such  servants  of  Christ, 
as  this  man  was,  it  would  doubtless  have  exerted  a  salutary 
influence  over  him,  as  it  would,  sometimes  at  least,  have 
kept  the  ministers  of  Satan  at  bay. 

At  the  breakfast-table.  Smith  having  got  up  and  gone 
out,  his  wife  spoke  a  few  words  with  the  minister  about 
their  spiritual  condition.  She  told  him  that  her  heart  was 
always  at  the  house  of  God  on  meeting  occasions  whether 
she  was  there  or  not,  and  that  love-feasts  and  class-meetings 
were  her  delight ;  and  although  often  deterred  from  going 
to  church,  yet  she  never  could  get  used  to  staying  away. 
"  Well,"  said  he,  "  that  will  do,  if  you  do  not  become 
satisfied  to  stay  away."  They  then  exchanged  a  few  words 
about  her  husband's  backwardness  in  attending  divine  ser- 
vice, and  a  doubt  that  arose  in  her  mind  whether  he  was 
a  changed  man  or  not.  The  preaclier  replied,  "  If  he  had 
religion,  it  would  lead  him  to  the  people  of  God,"  which 
indeed  seems  to  be  a  rational  conclusion.  And  we  wonder 
now  that  Mrs.  Smith  could  a.sk  the  question,  whether  a 
changed  man  or  not,  when  she  knew  so  well  his  private 
acts.  A  changed  man,  indeed!  If  ever  he  had  been 
changed,  he  was  changed  back  again  to  the  beggarly  ele- 
ments of  the  world,  for  no  man  that  was  a  Christian 
could  act  as  he  did.  "If  any  man  be  in  Christ  Jesus,  he  is 
a  new  creature  ;  old  things  are-tlone  away,  behold  all  things 
become  new."  He  will  walk  in  newness  of  life,  and  love 
the  people  and  house  of  God  above  his  chief  joy. 

They  all  set  out  for  church,  eight  miles  distant,  —  Smith 


212 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


and  his  wife,  her  mother  and  the  three  little  children,  (her 
eldest  and  the  two  youngest  of  the  first  wife's  children,) 
leaving  her  infant  boy  at  home  with  the  servants,  —  with 
the  cook,  who  was  one  of  the  best  servants  in  the  world,  — 
to  be  brought  to  his  mother  the  next  day,  (Sabbath,)  as  this 
was  Saturday.  Oh,  this  was  a  grand  time  to  Mrs.  Smith ! 
She  took  the  little  ones  and  catechised  them,  prayed  with 
them,  and  told  them  she  was  going  to  dedicate  them  to  God 
in  baptism,  —  the  youngest  daughter  of  the  first  set  of  : 
children,  and  youngest  son,  and  her  own  eldest  little  boy,  — 
sweet  children  then !  The  daughter  about  five  or  seven 
years  old,  her  own  brother  a  little  over  five,  and  her  own 
little  boy  something  more  than  two  years  old,  her  infant 
son  about  four  months  old.  The  daughter,  although  after- 
wards a  hardened  and  prejudiced  sinner  against  this  mother, 
was  deeply  affected  when  this  friend  of  her  youth  instructed 
her,  and  wept  much.  Oh  who  did  spoil  this  good  work 
commenced  by  this  truly  ,  heavenly  -  minded  woman  ? 
Verily,  "  one  sinner  destroyeth  much  good."  * 

The  next  morning  (Sabbath)  the  good  servant,  the  cook, 
—  for  whom  Mrs.  Smith  always,  when  she  could,  made 
arrangements,  (as  well  as  for  all  the  servants  as  much  as 
possible)  to  ride  to  church,  if  it  was  any  distance  from  home 
beyond  a  pleasant  walk, —  brought  the  cherub  boy,  who 
looked  as  rosy  as  if  his  mother  had  not  been  from  him  a 
day  and  night.  The  little  girl,  when  she  was  baptized, 
wept  much,  and  seemed  to  be  concerned  about  herself. 
The  two  little  boys  smiled  sweetly,  and  the  little  infant  boy 
also  smiled  as  if  he  was  much  pleased,  and  looked  as  calm  and 
happy  as  if  he  had  been  already  in  heaven.  Blessed  chil- 
dren! will  they  ever  get  to  heaven?  Oh,  if  the  Lord — if  it 
had  pleased  him  to  take  these  little  ones  at  that  time,  what 
a  world  of  trouble,  sorrow,  and  sin  they  would  have  escaped. 
But  stay  these  thoughts !    Is  the  arm  Omnipotent  shortened 


AND   HUSKS   OF   SWINE.  213 


tliat  it  cannot  save  them  yet  ?  AYell  did  the  blessed  Saviour 
say,  "Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid 
them  not ;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God."  Blessed 
Saviour,  thou  canst  say  unto  them  yet,  "  Come." 

Both  of  Mrs.  Smith's  little  boys  had  the  names  of  two 
of  the  Bishops  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The 
youngest  one  of  her  own  had,  besides,  the  name  of  one  of 
the  most  eminent  men  of  God  that  ever  lived.  The  preacher, 
when  he  baptized  this  cherub  boy,  said,  "Lord  make  him  as 
those  two  great  and  good  men  were ; "  whic  we  had  hoped 
from  our  soul  would  be  granted,  although  there  seems,  as 
yet,  but  little  prospect.  Yet  should  we  despair?  Is  not 
God  able  to  make  him  repentant  ?  Shall  not  they  that  sow 
in  tears  reap  in  joy?  Is  anything  too  hard  for  the  Lord  ? 
That  day  was  a  high  day  with  Mrs.  Smith.  She  spoke  in 
love-feast.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  was  upon  her,  and  she 
seemed  to  be  electrified  by  its  power. 

Come,  Holy  Spirit,  refining  fire, 

Go  through  my  soul ; 
Scatter  thy  life  through  every  part, 

And  new  create  the  whole." 

was  her  language. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

MORE  OF  smith's  FALSE  ACCUSATIONS. 

MRS.  SMITH'S  father  and  Smith  both  appeared  to  be  much 
affected,  though  neither  of  them  had  a  word  for  God. 
They  then  bade  the  man  of  God  farewell,  and  returned 
home  with  their  little  ones.  O  how  sad  to  go  from  Salem's 
holy  quarters  to  the  tents  of  wickedness,  where  there  was 


214 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


nothing  but  sin,  sinners,  and  sinners'  ways;  liars,  tale- 
bearers, backbiters,  slanderers,  and  almost  all  sorts  of  sin 
that  could  be  named ;  hardly  the  savor  of  one  righteous 
Lot  among  them,  except  herself  and  mother,  who  was  with 
her  occasionally.  True,  some  professed  religion,  but  did 
not  possess  it.  "  They  had  no  oil  in  their  lamps ;  they  had 
gone  out."  They  were  unworthy  of  the  Christian  name,  and, 
like  the  foolish  virgins,  we  fear  they  will  beg  for  oil  in  a 
coming  day  when  it  cannot  be  had,  or  they  will  be  too  late, 
because  the  door  will  be  shut  against  them.  For  whosoever 
loveth  and  maketh  a  lie  will  most  assuredly  be  left  outside 
with  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  all  kinds  of  sinners. 

When  they  got  home,  the  same  ribaldous  son  began 
throwing  out  unholy  jests  about  the  meeting,  (for  he  had 
gone  too.)  Mrs.  Smith  did  now  and  then  drop  a  word  or 
two  to  this  son.  Her  spirit  was  subdued,  chastened,  and 
holy  ;  she  felt  she  had  been  with  God,  and  did  not  think 
herself  in  danger  in  saying  a  few  words  to  him. 

Smith,  as  he  did  sometimes  after  going  to  church,  seemed 
to  be  considerate  and  serious,  and  to  wish  to  guard  his  wife 
from  mischief.  Knowing  his  son's  disposition  better  than 
she  did,  for  fear  she  might  get  her  feelings  hurt,  and  wish- 
ing her  not  to  spend  breath  and  words  on  so  reckless  a 
person.  Smith  said  to  her, 

"  Grace,  remember  where  you  have  been  to-day.  Do  not 
spend  your  time  uselessly  talking  to  that  boy." 

Now  it  seems  to  us  if  the  boy  had  been  in  possession  of 
any  sensibility  whatever,  and  had  at  all  believed  in  his 
father,  the  bare  idea  of  his  thinking  him  unworthy  to  be 
spoken  to  on  the  subject  of  religion  ought  to  have  struck 
him  deeply.  His  heart  ought  to  have  been  pierced  by  it. 
But  he  had  himself  once  professed  religion  and  joined  the 
church,  and  now  abused  his  profession,  and  of  course  was 
now  more  callous  than  ever.    As  he  could  have  no  confi- 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


215 


dence  in  himself,  lie  Had  none  in  others.  "Withal,  he  inher- 
ited a  large  portion  of  his  father's  violent  prejudices,  and 
consequently,  if  prejudiced  against  any  one,  was  apt  to  allow 
him  or  her  no  quarter  at  all.  At  this  time  he  affected  to 
be  much  against  his  father's  wife,  —  although  a  year  had 
hardly  elapsed  since  he  would  fain  haye  married  her  sisier. 
But  all  the  spite  he  could  pitch  at  the  preachers,  or  any 
one  that  he  thought  Mrs.  Smith  respected,  was  pastime  and 
joyous  sport  for  him.  Even  this  almost  ethereal  man  of 
God,  whose  yery  appearance  was  enough  to  awe  common 
sinners,  had  no  effect  in  deterring  him  from  scoffing  and  a 
kind  of  fun  making,  to  which  some  resort,  thinking,  or  pre- 
tending to  think,  it  makes  them  men. 

We  do  not  now  remember  much  jealousy  as  yet  from 
Smith  in  this  section,  although  he  would  sometimes  betake 
himself  a  whole  day  of  a  Sabbath  and  spend  it  with  his 
brother  Jerome,  —  a  thing  he  neyer  did  in  the  other  State, 
and  which  he  did  now,  doubtless,  to  spite  his  wife.  Tlie 
first  Sabbath  he  played  this  game  was  misery  and  woe  to 
her.  She  had  but  little  earthly  comfort  or  happiness ;  and, 
as  she  remained  at  home  for  his  sake  nearly  always  now,  to 
haye  him  take  his  company  from  her,  to  be  depriyed  a 
whole  day  at  a  time,  without  cause  or  business,  to  be  thus 
supplanted  by  her  not  too  loyely  brother-in-law,  was  at  first 
seemingly  a  hard  case  ;  though  no  one  eyer  heaixl  her 
utter  a  word  on  the  subject.  If  he  had  commenced  that 
style,  she  might  haye  become  accustomed  to  it ;  but  no,  he 
neyer  could  bear  her  away  at  all. 

Mrs.  Smith's  yoimgest  little  boy  was  one  of  the  most 
quiet,  interesting  little  fellows  in  the  world.  His  nurse  and 
grandmother  would  go  to  his  aunt's,  Mrs.  Jerome  Smith's, 
and  spend  whole  days  with  him  from  his  mother,  although 
at  the  breast,  and  he  would  neither  cry  nor  make  any  ado 
whatever.   His  uncle  Jerome,  one  day,  at  Xapoleon  Smith's, 


216 


BREAD   OP  HEAVEN, 


was  complimenting  him,  in  his  mother's  presence,  as  being 
the  most  uncommon  child  he  ever  saw. 

"  Oh,"  said  Smith's  eldest  son,  "  he  will  be  a  drunkard." 
(For  he  was  one  himself  at  that  time.) 

Another  one  of  them  put  in  his  spiteful  gibe  too,  and 
said,  "He  expected  he  would  make  an  overseer."  His 
mother,  with  head  all  bound  up,  with  a  severe  nervous  head- 
ache, replied  mildly,  though  with  honest  indignation  in 
her  breast  towards  these  craven-hearted  cowards  who  could 
speak  thus  spitefully  of  an  infant  of  a  few  months,  their 
own  father's  child,  because  they  hated  the  mother  without 
cause : 

"  I  expect  he  will  be  a  Methodist  preacher  some  of  these 
days." 

This  was  their  revenge  on  an  innocent  child  because 
iliey  hated  the  mother.  And,  oh,  that  God  may  grant  that 
that  wish  of  the  mother's  heart  may  yet  be  verified,  to  the 
despite  and  discomfiture  of  all  his  enemies  and  those  of  his 
mother  also.  What  set  of  young  men  in  the  world,  with 
any  soul  at  all,  would  have  talked  thus  of  the  innocent  and 
unoffending,  the  babe  that  did  not  then  know  his  right  hand 
from  his  left  ?  Surely  the  mad  prophet  Jonah  could  not 
hold  a  candle  to  them  ;  for  this  infant  of  a  few  months  was 
their  own  half-brother,  their  father's  youngest  boy,  and  their 
third  or  fourth  cousin  according  to  the  flesh ;  and  God  had 
commanded  them  to  pronounce  no  cursing  on  this  child,  or 
prophesy  of  his  future  ill,  as  he  commanded  Jonah  to  de- 
nounce the  Ninevites. 

They  had  not  much  more  church  going  to  attend  that 
year  until  October,  when  the  camp-meetin'g  came  off;  the 
first,  we  suppose,  that  had  ever  been  held  in  that  portion 
of  the  country  since  Christopher  Columbus  discovered  this 
continent. 

The  same  brother,  S  ,  being  presiding  elder,  Mrs. 


AND  HUSKS  or  SWINE. 


217 


Smith  ardently  desired  her  husband  to  build  a  tent,  and  say 
to  the  world,  for  a  few  days,  "  Stay  here,  while  I  go  yonder 
and  worship."  But  the  canker  of  the  world  was  on  him  too 
dee^^ly.  He  would  not  build  a  tent.  His  excuse  to  his 
wife  was,  because  the  other  people,  or  those  who  built  tents, 
would  not  consent  to  build  the  camp-ground  where  lie 
wished  it.  Whether  he  informed  these  deluded  people  of 
this  or  not,  we  know  not.  We  say  deluded,  because  we 
heard,  in  the  years  that  followed  in  this  lying  and  believing 
lies  community,  that  some  son  of  Belial  had  said  Smith's 
wife  was  the  cause  of  his  not  building  a  tent.  A  more 
palpable  falsehood  could  not  have  been  hatched  in  the  pit 
of  perdition. 

Mrs.  Smith,  however,  got  him  off  with  their  wagon  and 
carriage,  which  was,  she  thought,  better  than  not  going  at 
all.  And  here  was  his  policy :  go  on  Saturday  and  Sunday, 
and  it  will  not  break  so  much  time,  and  then  the  servants 
can  be  at  work  all  the  week;  although  meeting' is  within 
five  or  six  miles  of  us,  and  only  a  yearly  meeting,  too,  and 
not  expected  to  trouble  any  of  the  worldly-minded  folks 
more  than  once  a  year,  at  all.  But  this  matter  plainly 
showed  that  when  Smith  did  not  wish  to  do  anything,  like 
all  other  men  and  women,  too,  he  abounded  in  roundabout 
excuses.  It  would  be  much  more  honorable  to  all  thus 
concerned,  to  honestly  say,  "  I  do  not  go  to  this  meeting, 
nor  build  a  tent,  just  because  I  do  not  wish  to  go  or  build." 
But  even  this  piece  of  the  meeting  Mrs.  Smith  enjoyed,  was 
a  grand  festival  to  her.  She  sat  near  the  altar,  as  w^as  her 
custom,  while  this  very  spiritual  minister  of  God  sowed 
his  heavenly  seed.  A  more  evangelical  doctrine  and  ser- 
mon was  seldom  heard.  It  fell  like  the  dew  of  heaven  on 
the  heart  of  this  persecuted  saint  of  God ;  for  she  was  passing 
through  the  fires. 

The  poor  sable  African,  too,  the  carriage  driver,  stood  off 
19 


218 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEIf, 


at  a  respectful  distance,  —  at  the  rear  of  the  pulpit,  —  and 
drank  in  every  word.  Mrs.  Smith  saw  this  and  rejoiced. 
Oh,  if  Smith  had  been  truly  pious,  how  might  he  not  have 
been  instrumental  in  saving  himself  and  his  whole  house  ? 
Oh,  if  he  had  been  decided  as  Joshua  was,  who  said,  "  Choose 
you  this  day  whom  you  will  serve ;  whether  the  gods  which 
your  fathers  served  on  the  other  side  of  the  flood,  or  the 
gods  of  the  Amorites  in  whose  land  ye  dwell ;  but  as  for 
me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord." 

At  meal-time,  the  man  of  God  went  out.  to  Smith's  car- 
riage to  greet  the  family.  He  was  sorry  they  were  not 
tented,  but  said  very  little  on  the  subject.  Mrs.  Smith  had 
taken  the  children  and  all  the  servants  she  could  with 
them. 

One  of  the  old  family  servants,  belonging  now  to  Jerome 
Smith,  who  had  raised  the  Smiths,  received  the  word  of  the 
Lord  graciously,  which  had  fallen  in  such  gentle  showers. 
On  all  such  occasions  heaven  seemed  to  be  on  earth  to  Mrs. 
Smith. 

The  next  day,  being  the  Sabbath,  was  another  high  day. 
It  was  a  green  spot  on  memory's  page,  never  to  be  forgotten 
many  long  years  after,  and  perhaps  remembered  through 
eternity.  The  preacher  preached  a  heart-searching  sermon 
that  day,  and  sent  Mrs.  Smith  and  another  lady,  a  sister  in 
the  church,  round  among  the  ladies  to  make  a  missionary 
collection.  Here  she  met  with  hard-shelled  Baptists  for 
the  first  time  in  her  life,  as  the  anti-missionary  Baptists  are 
called,  which  were  here  on  this  occasion,  —  a  hard  set,  in- 
deed.   Mrs.  Smith  had  been  reared  and  educated  in  the 

most  enlightened  parts  of  the  State  of  ,  and  hence 

the  name  of  hard-shell  had  never  been  heard  of  in  all  that 
enlightened  region.  However,  they  made  nothing  off  of 
Mrs.  Smith  in  argument ;  for,  although  new  to  her,  such 
startling,  ignorant  assertions  as  some  of  the  weaker  sort  of 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWIXE.  219 

the  sect  used  were  all  put  to  silence  by  her  off-hand,  im- 
promptu, and  lightning-like  style  of  refutation.  ZS"or  was 
she  proud  of  the  necessity  of  thus  replying.  Her  very  soul 
reTolted  at  the  ignorance  thus  manifested,  and  her  heart 
grieved  over  the  darkness,  gross  darkness,  that  shrouded 
the  minds  of  these  imbecile  creatures,  who  thought  they 
knew  more  than  "  seven  men  who  could  render  a  reason." 

Notwithstanding,  Sirs,  Smith  got  up  a  considerable  sub- 
scri2:)tion,  for  she  asked  every  gentleman  who  came  in  her 
way,  and  even  the  poor  servants  gave  something  to  this 
good  cause.  She  subscribed  twenty  dollars  herself,  paid 
out  of  her  own  earnings ;  she  having  taught  school  a  portion 
of  that  year  again.  The  whole  of  it  she  could  not  pay, 
for  not  a  cent  would  her  husband  give  her.  On  the  con- 
trary, he  scolded  her  for  giving  so  much  of  her  own  labor 
that  way,  ten  dollars  paid  in  cash,  vSome  of  the  poor  old 
women  in  that  section,  when  looking  at  the  subscription 
list,  said,  Oh,  she  don't  expect  to  spin  for  it."'  Xo,  she 
does  not,  we  suppose,  our  dear  madam ;  but,  if  she  did,  we 
suppose  she  would  do  it  as  cheerfully  as  you. 

That  Sabbath  evening  there  was  much  feeling  manifested 
among  the  people.  Smith's  thii'd  daughter  went  into  the 
altar  for  prayer,  and  Mrs.  Smith  wished  to  remain  that 
night  on  the  encampment  for  the  sake  of  this  reckless  girl, 
for  she  was  little  else  than  a  flirt-about.  When  they  went 
to  the  carriage  to  set  out  for  home,  the  friends  of  both  Mrs. 
Smith  and  the  daughter  flocked  around  to  beg  Mrs.  Smith 
to  stay.  Even  the  preacher  suggested  the  propriety  of  Mrs. 
Smith  staying  on  account  of  the  daughter  who  was  intending 
to  remain. 

"So,''  said  Smith.  He  opened  the  carriage-door  and 
almost  pushed  her  in.  2s  o  matter  how  much  religious  feel- 
ing there  was  afloat,  she  was  afraid  to  do  anything  on  her 
part  that  might  awaken  the  demon  of  jealousy  iu  Smith's 


220 


BEEAB  OF  HEAVEK, 


heart  again,  for  she  feared  it  only  slumbered  and  slept,  and 
was  waiting  for  some  fair,  pretended  pretext  to  awaken 
more  furiously  and  fearfully  than  ever ;  more  so,  for  the 
long  resting  spell.  Since  they  had  left  the  vicinity  of  Evans, 
he  had  not  yet  fastened  his  mind  on  a  successor  as  a  victim 
of  accusation  to  his  poor  wife. 

Young  ladies,  again  we  ask.  How  would  you  like  such  a 
situation  ?  You  need  not  say  it  is  confined  to  old  men,  old 
fools,  thus  to  act.  We  have  seen  young  men,  young  fools, 
act  just  this  way.  We  tell  you  just  what  we  think. 
There  are  so  many  nuisances  in  the  world,  and  everybody 
is  against  them  when  they  know  them  ;  but  this  is  one  that 
is  not  always  known,  because  the  poor  victim,  the  wife, 
keeps  it  to  herself  as  much  as  possible.  O  how  jolly  he  can 
be!  He  can  look  and  send  a  quiver  to  her  heart  that  no 
one  knows  of  but  herself.  He  can  say,  by  his  infernal  eye, 
Do  it  if  you  dare ;  stay,  if  you  dare ;  only  go  against  my 

wish  or  nod,  and  I  '11  give  you  h  to-night.    Now  this 

is  no  overwrought  picture,  but  a  veritable  fact,  and  we  ven- 
ture  ten  thousand  women  can  bear  testimony  to  its  truth- 
fulness. .Well,  now,  do  you  wish  to  know  what  we  are 
driving  at,  dear  young  ladies  ? 

It  is  this, — for  these  nuisances  to  poor  women,  if  to  no- 
body else,  to  be  taken  up  ;  and  although  we  are  no  advocates 
for  hanging,  nor  ever  saw  any  one  hung,  yet  we  could  almost 
give  our  verdict  for  these  wretched  creatures  to  be  hung  till 
they  are  almost  dead,  dead,  dead  ;  because  we  are  afraid, 
if  suffered  to  live,  the  viper  will  live  in  them  again,  and  bite 
not  only  the  poor  wife,  but,  mayhap,  which  is  worse, 
entail  his  venomous  bite  on  his  innocent  offspring.  Which 
of  the  two  evils  shall  we  choose  ?    Ju-dge  ye. 

The  next  day,  as  soon  as  Smith  and  his  wife  arrived  at 
the  encampment,  the  announcement  was  made  to  them  that 
this  said  daughter  had  professed  religion.    Mrs.  Smith  went 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


221 


to  her,  carrying  some  clotlies  wliicli  she  brought  for  her. 
As  soon  as  she  saw  the  poor  girl,  she  did  not  think  there  was 
any  real  change  in  her.  Of  course  there  was  not  much 
cordiality  in  the  meeting.  She  embraced  her  ;  she  could 
not  well  avoid  doing  so ;  but  such  was  the  sincerity  and  hon- 
esty of  her  nature,  and  especially  about  our  holy  and 
blessed  religion,  when  she  came  in  contact  with  insincerity 
and  deception,  whether  wilful  or  ignorant  deception,  she 
seemed  to  feel  it.  It  would  send  out  its  own  true  character 
before  her  -discerning  eyes.  She  knew  too  much.  The 
speech  the  young  girl  made,  caused  her  to  think  it  not 
suitable  language  for  a  young  convert,  and  a  true  one  —  one 
who  had  been  penitent  for  her  sins.  However,  she  would 
wait  and  see.  She  did  wait,  and  all  her  fears  w^ere  too  true. 
This  was  not  the  language  of  Canaan.  The  speech  has 
gone  from  us,  else  we  might  recall  it. 

After  this  meeting  was  over,  there  seemed  to  be  peace  and 
calm  for  awhile.  Smith,  after  all  the  care  Mrs.  Smith  took, 
and  all  the  sacrifices  she  had  made,  had  the  temerity  to  cast 
up,  in  some  reproachful  manner,  this  man  of  God  to  her,  as  if 
she  loved  him  m'ore  than  himself,  which  must  have  on  this 
occasion  originated  in  his  self-depreciation ;  for  he  could  not 
help  seeing,  if  he  had  one  grain  of  common  sense,  that  the 
man  of  God  was  greatly  his  superior.  But  his  inferiority 
exsisted  in  his  own  mind,  in  allowing  himself  to  be  narrow 
and  contracted,  jealous  and  suspicious,  without  true  faith  in 
heaven.  How  could  he  help  feeling  his  inferiority  ?  This 
provoked  Mrs.  Smith  very  much,  as  well  it  might,  though 
she  said  nothing;  for  till  now  she  had  never  hinted  his 
jealousies  to  mortal  being.  His  doings  were  all,  as  yet, 
secret.  Like  getting  the  hunted  hare  at  bay,  and  giving  it 
the  wink,  "]N"ever  mind;  you  just  come  out  of  that  hole, 
and  I  '11  get  you." 

One  day,  shortly  after  this  meeting  and  his  innuendoes, 
19* 


222 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


she  was  in  a  room  up-stairs,  where  she  oft  resorted  to  get  a 
little  calm,  and  to  breathe  out  her  soul  to  God.  Her  hus- 
band followed  her  thither.  He  wished  to  be  fondling  and 
caressing,  which  seemed  so  incongruous  to  her  mind,  with 
his  now  begun  jealousies  again. 

"  Oh,"  said  she, "  Mr.  Smith,  there  is  so  much  inconsistency 
in  this  course,  and  your  repeated  jealousies;  my  soul  is 
grieved.  Do  you  not  know  there  is  a  green  canebrake  be- 
tween us?  "  —  canebrakes  are  very  common  in  new  countries. 

"  Then,"  said  he,  "  w^e  will  burn  it  up."  But  they  are 
not  very  combustible ;  and  we  guess,  if  they  were  frequently 
interspersed  among  settlements,  all  the  incendiaries  in  the 
world  could  not  do  much  in  lighting  their  infernal  torches. 
Fire-works  to  extinguish  this  subtle  element  would  not  be 
m  much  requisition. 

"  Would  that  it  could  be,  and  stay  burned,"  she  replied. 

"  You  are  ill,  Mr.  Smith." 

"  Yes,  my  dear,  I  am  very  sick ;  I  think  I  shall  die ;  and 
oh  the  misery  there  is.  I  see  nothing  but  destruction  be- 
fore me." 

"  O  my  God,"  said  she  to  herself ;  "  is  this  an  earnest  of 
damnation  to  him  ;  and  he  a  professor,  too  ?  " 

And  in  the  agony  of  her  soul  she  fled  to  the  garden  to 
pray  that  the  Lord  would  spare  him,  so  that  he  might  re- 
pent, and  not  be  lost;  for  it  was  one  of  the  most  awful 
thoughts  that  ever  came  to  her  pious  mind  —  that  of  her 
husband  dying,  and  sinking  down  to  eternal  destruction. 

All  that  night  she  prayed,  and  often  asked  him,  "  Do  you 
now  feel  any  better  ?  Do  you  see  now  any  better  prospects  ? 
Does  God  seem  to  be  any  more  reconciled  to  you  ?  " 

No,  no,"  said  he;  "  I  still  see  nothing  but  a  yawning  pit 
before  me." 

Alas !  O  Lord,  that  he  should  have  felt  thus  —  for  he  was 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWI^TE.  223 


not  sick  enougli  to  be  delirious  —  and  then  fill  up  his  after 
life  as  he  did.  But  although  he  said  his  mind  continued  in 
the  same  state,  the  health  of  his  body  returned;  he  got 
up,  and  went  about  his  business,  with  this  awful  load  upon- 

him  His.  worldly  gain  seemed  more  to  him  than 

his  heavenly.  What  was  the  matter  with  the  man?  It 
almost  invariably  followed,  that,  if  he  abused  his  wife  with 
his  tongue  in  those  accusations  which  we  have,  in  part,  de- 
tailed through  these  pages,  he  would  be  afflicted  in  some 
way  or  other.  So  much  so,  that  he  once  remarked  it  « 
himself,  and  said, — 

"  I  never  do  anything  to  you  of  this  kind,  but  what  I 
suffer  for  it  after,  either  in  body  or  mentally." 

"Then,"  said  she,  "why  are  you  not  afraid  to  do  so? 
If  I  am  so  immaculate,  that  you  cannot  persecute  me  with- 
out God  avenging  it,  and  taking  up  the  quarrel  for  me,  why 
do  you  not  desist  from  such  a  course  ?  " 

If  God  says,  "  Speak  not  to  Jacob  —  or  to  Grace  —  after 
this  fashion,  and  do  my  prophets  no  hurt,"  why,  oh,  why  did 
he  not  leave  off,  when  he  so  often  felt  and  knew  that  he  was 
fighting  against  God  and  his  own  happiness. 

He  made  no  reply  to  her  questions ;  and  thus  he  went 
on,  not  regarding  her  peace  of  mind,  nor  these  faithful 
•  warnings.  Her  peace,  at  least,  as  much  as  he  could  affect 
it  —  and  that  was  great  —  as  any  man  can  do  who  has  a 
tender-hearted  wife.  But  in  her  silent  appeals  to  heaven, 
no  wonder  the  Lord  took  it  up ;  for  it  was  a  species  of  slow 
murder,  of  which  the  world,  nor  kindred,  nor  mortal  flesh 
knew.  Some  people  imagine  because  othei*s  are  silent  under 
sorrow,  it  does  not  affect  them.  All  the  more  it  does  its 
deadly  work.  Smith  must  have  had  small  compassion  in 
his  composition.  Albeit,  he  once  said  to  his  wife  he  had 
shed  bushels  of  tears  over  the  thoughts  of  her  sufferings. 
We  wonder  why ;  and  as  we  never  saw  them,  we  think  the 


224 


BREAD^OF  HEAVEN, 


bushel  must  have  been  small.  David  said,  "  Put  thou  my 
tears  into  thy  bottle ; "  but  we  never  heard  of  a  bushel  of 
them  before.  He  could  have  caused  her  heart  to  leap  for 
joy,  and  his  own  bushel  of  tears  to  have  been  dried,  if  he 
would  only  have  consented,  and  had  resolution  enough  to 
have  been  a  man.  But  God  is  the  helper  of  him  or  her  that 
hath  no  helper.  Moreover,  in  the  Rock  cleft  for  her  in  her 
Saviour's  side  she  had  an  abiding  place,  that  all  the  storms 
of  men,  and  devils,  and  children,  and  negroes  could  not 
reach ;  and  there  she  found  all  the  true  peace  she  ever  had 
in  mortal  life. 

Some  time  in  November  after  this,  it  having  been  a  full 
month  since  she  had  been  to  see  her  sister,  who  lived  at  the 
distance  of  only  two  miles,  she  took  the  little  children  and 
went  to  spend  the  day  with  this  sister.  In  the  evening  she 
returned,  and  was  sitting  on  the  doorstep  when  he  came 
from  the  field.  He  did  not  greet  her  as  he  did  when  in  a 
good  humor,  but  said, "  You  are  always  running  to  T.  M — 's ; " 
which  was  as  false  as  it  could  be.  She  was  not  always  going 
there ;  neither  did  she  run,  for  she  rode.  His  speech  and 
looks  were  so  hurtful  and  unjust  that  she  replied  not,  for  it 
sent  a  momentary  insanity  to  her  mind.  She  rose  up  hastily 
from  her  speechless  posture,  ran  with  all  her  might — both 
hands  extended  to  heaven — towards  the  well  in  the  yard,  with  * 
the  full  intention,  when  she  started,  of  casting  herself  into  it. 
But  by  the  time  she  reached  it,  a  sane  feeling  came  over 
her,  and  she  turned  aside  into  the  garden,  as  she  had  done 
before  to  pray  for  him ;  now  to  pray  for  strength  to  with- 
stand and  live,  notwithstanding  the  unjust  taunts  and  fero- 
cious barbarity  of  this  brutal  man.  Oh,  how  one  unjust, 
harsh,  cruel  word  is  calculated  to  derange  a  sensitive  mind. 
And  what  else  can  we  call  him  but  a  brutal  man  ?  He 
knew  he  had  a  tender-hearted  wife,  a  sensitive  one,  if  he 
knew  the  meaning  of  the  word.    A  wife  that  took  pride  in 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


225 


doing  her  duty,  her  whole  duty,  and  wished  to  be  blameless, 
as  much  as  is  possible  for  a  mortal  woman  to  be.  A  woman 
who,  he  said,  on  one  occasion,  when  speaking  of  Mrs,  Mary 
Fletcher,  the  wife  of  the  great  and  good  Fletcher  of  England, 
w^as  as  good  a  woman  or  better  than  Mrs.  Fletcher.  And 
yet  he  could  thus  tyrannize !  He  asked  her  some  time  after 
what  made  her  run  so  ?  She  told  him  the  thought  that 
came  into  her  mind.  It  does  seem  to  us  —  and  not  only 
seems,  but  it  is  actually  so  —  a  man  must  be  inflituated  by  the 
devil,  else  he  could  not  and  would  not  pursue  such  an  un- 
pardonable course ;  especially  when  he  sees  it  so  destructive 
to  the  happiness  of  his  victim.  My  God  !  just  to  think  of 
such  a  brute  of  a  husband !  We  vow,  if  we  had  such  an 
one  in  this  day  and  time,  we  would  have  a  bill  of  divorce 
in  due  time,  or  he  should  let  us  alone,  and  allow  us  the 
common  sense  due  to  his  negroes ;  for  they  could  go  to  visit 
their  sisters,  if  it  was  near  enough,  without  his  scowling 
upon  them,  if  they  got  it  from  their  beastly  husbands,  who 
were  apt  to  be  in  those  days  like  master  like  servant- 
man. 

We  are  sorry  to  have  so  much  to  say  of  man,  white  men, 
who  were  made  in  the  image  of  God.  But  bear  with  us,  ye 
good  ones.  Your  time  will  come  yet,  when  you  will  get  all 
the  praise  really  good  men  w^ant,  and  the  others  may  go 
on  serving  Belial  for  us.  We  care  not.  Why  should  we  ? 
We  cannot  reform  these  bad  ones.  That  has  been  tried  by 
some  of  the  fairest  and  best  daughters  that  ever  sprang  from 
the  second  Eve,  who  was  without  fault,  as  it  is  your  glory 
to  tell  us  of  the  fii'st  Eve.  And  many  of  these  fair  creatures 
have  fallen  into  their  graves  with  the  story  of  their  wrongs 
revealed  to  none  but  God,  who  saw  it  all  tlie  time.  We 
do  not  talk  of  ivoman's  rights, —  the  canting  phrase  with 
tyrants,  —  for  small  rights  will  she  have,  if  she  have  not  a 
good  husband.    And  if  she  have  not  a  good  one,  woe  be  to 

P 


226 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


her.  She  had  better  never  been  born ;  or,  as  the  Turkish 
mothers  do,  it  had  been  as  well  in  some  cases,  nay,  better, 
for  her  mother  to  have  done  as  they  did  —  kill  them,  than 
to  suffer  the  worse  than  ten  thousand  deaths  that  some  suffer, 
and  then  perhaps  die  without  peace  with  God.  But  we 
cannot  now  pursue  this  subject.  It  is  horrifying.  It  is 
maddening.  And  ye  say  she  did  it  all  herself.  ,  We  will  see 
about  that  in  a  coming  day.  God  Almighty  will  bring  up 
all  of  you  guilty  men,  as  well  as  the  guilty  woman.  He 
will  not  be  so  partial  as  those  very  pious  Jews  were,  "  Mas- 
ter, here 's  a  woman,  etc.,"  —  and  never  a  word  about  the 
guilty  man,  O  ye  pious  rakes !  But  God  Almighty  will 
do  as  His  blessed  Son  did.  In  that  He  gave  us  a  blessed 
example  of  what  the  Sod,  the  glorious  Judge  will  do  in  that 
day.  "Ye  that  are  without  fault  or  sin,  cast  the  first 
stone."  Now  will  not  ye  hang  your  holy  heads,  and  sneak 
out  one  by  one  ?  Ah,  no  ;  you  will  be  in  too  tight  a  place 
then.  It  will  not  be  on  earth,  nor  an  earthly  tribunal. 
What  if  ye  are  then  taken  by  the  officers  of  justice  by  the 
collar,  and  it  be  said  to  you,  "  Pay  all  the  wrongs  ye  have 
done  to  these  your  victims."  But  we  will  proceed  in  our 
story  of  the  Bread  of  Heaven,  and  Husks  of  Swine ;  or  the 
Curse  of  Jealousy,  or  The  Man  Influenced  by  the  Devil, 
which  you  please. 

Some  time  in  the  latter  part  of  this  same  fall,  or  begin- 
ning of  winter,  some  company  came  home  with  the  third 
daughter  to  spend  the  night.  Next  day,  the  holy  Sabbath 
day,  Mrs.  Smith  was  on  her  feet  nearly  all  day,  to  have  fires 
made  and  keep  them  up,  as  it  was  cold  weather;  which 
business  has  ever  appeared  to  us  as  more  properly  belonging 
to  the  man,  especially  when  he  is  about  the  house.  At 
eventide  she  was  very  much  worried,  and  Smith  began  to 
worry  her  more. 

"  Oh,"  said  she,  in  reply  to  some  of  his  taunts,  "  I  do  not 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


227 


suit  tlie  family ; "  for  after  all  lier  toil,  slie  knew  slie  never 
could  give  satisfaction  to  any  of  tliem. 

Instantly  he  flew  into  flinders,  as  mucli  as  if  slie  had  said 
the  family  did  not  suit  her.  Perhaps  he  knew  it  did  not 
suit  her.  She  ever  thought  they  might  if  they  would,  and 
truly  she  thought  she  took  pains  enough  with  them  all  for 
them  to  try,  at  least,  to  do  some  of  their  part  right,  if  they 
would.  This  they  never  seemed  to  think  of,  much  less  do, 
else  it  might  have  been  an  easy  work. 

That  year  ended  and  another  came  in,  and  with  it  such 
a  flood  of  trouble  as  had  never  been  before,  thick  and  heavy. 
But  we  shall  only  glance  at  a  great  deal  of  it,  as  it  more 
^  properly  belongs  to  another  work,  and  run  with  somewhat 
lightning  speed  the  remainder  of  the  way  over  this  particular 
part  devoted  to  the  jealous  man,  of  his  cruelties,  of  his  say- 
ings and  taunts ;  thousands  and  thousands  of  them,  in  which 
our  heroine  was  concerned  in  relation  to  her  husband's  con- 
duct, are  forgotten,  nor  can  be  remembered  this  side  of 
eternity. 

In  the  spring  of  this  year,  Smith's  eldest  soir  married. 
Mrs.  Smith  gave  birth  to  her  eldest  daughter,  having  now 
three  children  of  her  own.  Rivers  of  trouble  she  waded 
through  that  year.  But  Smith  pretended  to,  and  we  would 
really  believe,  if  we  could,  did  in  part,  sympathize  with  his 
wife.  Her  troubles  coming  from  liis  children  were  indi- 
rectly, if  not  directly,  from  himself  How  could  he  sym- 
pathize with  her  ?  "Was  he  not  the  cause  of  them  ?  We 
now  think  he  connived  at  them,  yea,  we  fear  even  encour- 
aged them ;  although  he  might  not  have  thought  so  at  the 
time.  Perhaps  he  could  not,  or  iimdd  not,  see  it  in  that 
light,  so  blinded  was  he  by  selfishness,  self-esteem,  and  in- 
ordinate self-approbation,  engendered  and  fed  by  the  sup- 
posed good  opinion  of  all  outsiders,  who  knew  not  the  inside 
work.  But  to  some  the  words  of  Burns  would  be  good  here. 


228 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


"O  would  some  power  the  gift  gie  us 
To  see  ourselves  as  others  see  us, 
It  would  from  mony  a  blunder  free  us." 

It  was  from  him  at  last  she  received  all  her  troubles ; 
how  then  could  he  sympathize  with  her  ?  The  troubler  does 
not  often  sympathize  with  the  troubled  one.  One  passage 
of  holy  Writ  speaks  of  the  liar  hating  those  who  are  in- 
jured by  his  lies. 

Another  year  rolled  round,  and  passed  off  pretty  much 
as  this  had  done,  except  some  variation  in  his  conduct 
towards  his  wife  for  the  worst.  That  year  they  had  the 
same  young  preacher,  who  came  one  round,  and  preached 
at  their  house,  shortly  after  the  birth  of  Mrs.  Smith's  second 
son.  And  when  he  left,  in  the  end  of  this  year,  he  said  to 
Mrs.  Smith,  who  had  been  as  a  sister  to  him,  "  Let  us  be 
faithful  to  the  grace  already  given." 

Then  another  year  ushered  in  a  little  more  auspiciously. 
An  elderly  minister  was  sent  them  from  Conference,  one 
with  whom  they  were  formerly  acquainted,  who  made  Smith's 
house  his'  home  nearly  every  time  he  came  round.  Mrs. 
Smith  treated  him  like  a  father.  She  would  take  her  little  ' 
boys  to  church  with  her  the  coldest  days,  well  wrapped  up, 
and  they  would  sit  quietly  and  patiently  as  little  lambs,  as 
they  seemed  indeed  then  to  be  of  the  fold  of  Christ.  The 
old  brother  would  come  out  after  preaching,  and  say,  "  These 
little  fellows  do  deserve  credit."  And  thus  it  was  she 
endeavored  to  recommend  them  to  God's  people  and  min- 
isters, to  procure  their  prayers  and  examples  for  them,  and 
to  hold  them  up  before  God,  begging  Him,  with  many  tears 
and  prayers,  to  water  them  with  His  grace.  And  oh,  our 
God,  shall  all  this  labor  and  painstaking  be  lost  ?  Some 
of  them  were  alienated  from  this  faithful  mother,  and  guide 
of  their  youth.  Some  of  them  were  in  the  ways  of  sin  ; . 
but,  oh,  is  she  never  to  have  the  reward  of  a  faithful,  loving 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


229 


motlier  iu  faithful,  loving,  devoted  children,  devoted  to 
God  and  their  mother  ?  Yes,  thou  that  thunderest  in  the 
heavens  to-day,  art  able  to  do  all  things !  Yea,  and  thou 
wilt  do  it !  though  to  human  appearance  the  prospect  was 
for  a  long  time  gloomy.  iS^othing  is  too  hard  for  thee ;  in- 
tervening hills  and  obstaclesj  yea,  even  mountains,  can  be 
removed  out  of  the  way,  that  the  faithful  may  have  the 
desires  of  their*  hearts,  especially  w^hen  these  desires  are 
begotten  in  their  hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Surely  the 
Lord  will  answer  His  own  self,  and  give  answers  of  peace 
yet  to  her  longing,  earnest  soul. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

AN  UNFORTUNATE  CAMP-MEETING. 

AT  the  request  of  Mrs.  Smith,  the  first  quarterly  meeting 
ever  held  in  that  neighborhood  was  at  their  meeting- 
house. And  to  that  meeting  the  presiding  elder  came; 
one  of  the  best  men  we  ever  saw,  his  very  appearance  in- 
spired veneration  and  reverence.  He  went  to  Napoleon 
Smith's,  as  that  was  the  nearest  place  in  the  neighborhood 
^of  the  Methodists.  He  tarried  all  night,  as  did  other  min- 
isters. He  had  preached  on  Saturday  on  eternal  life.  Life, 
O  eternal  life,  had  such  an  electrifying  influence  on  Mrs. 
Smith.  The  truth  was,  she  waded  through  so  much  sorrow, 
that  when  she  did  hear  the  gospel,  especially  by  one  who 
was  able  to  dispense  the  Avord  of  life  aright,  giving  to  each 
a  portion  in  due  season,  it  seemed  heaven  on  earth.  When 
these  faithful  servants  of  the  Lord  were  about,  it  seemed 
as  if  the  devil's  spell  would  be  broken  for  awhile.  He 
20 


230 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN. 


preached  on  life  again  the  next  day.  Mrs.  Smith  spoke  in 
love-feast  again.  The  man  of  God  administered  the  sacra- 
ment, and,  oh,  it  was  a  high  day  again.  Such  happiness 
seemed  too  exquisite  to  last  long  on  this  earth. 

The  man  of  God  tarried  several  days  with  Smith's  family. 
After  the  meeting,  and  in  company  with  Smith  and  his 
family,  he  visited  Jerome  Smith's  family. 

The  same  little  boy,  Mrs.  Smith's  youngest  son,  who  was 
now  a  bounding  boy  of  three  or  four  years  of  age,  came  in, 
and  bounded  up  to  his  mother's  lap,  and  began  talking  to 
her  and  the  preacher.    The  preacher  said : 

"  Sister  Smith,  he  has  a  very  fine  head ;  he  will  surely 
make  a  great  man  if  properly  trained,  which,  no  doubt, 
you  will  do." 

After  a  few  days'  stay  among  these  people,  the  man  of 
God  left,  and  went  his  way  to  other  appointments. 

The  old  brother  H          came  round  again,  having 

another  quarterly  meeting  in  view,  about  eighteen  or  twenty 
miles  distant  from  Smith's.  Knowing  Smith's  tardiness  to 
attend  religious  meetings,  and  knowing  also  that,  when  he 
did  attend,  he  was  benefited,  he  besought  Smith  to  take  his 
wife  and  go  to  this  meeting,  which  he  partly  promised  to  do. 
But  Mrs.  Smith,  knowing  so  well  his  uncertainty  in  all  these 

matters,  said  to  the  old  brother  H  ,  "  If  we  do  not  go, 

tell  the  elder  to  try  to  see  us  on  his  return  to  his  next 
quarterly  meeting." 

The  next  time  the  old  brother  H         came  round,  he 

said  to  Mrs.  Smith, — 

"  Sister  Smith,  are  you  going  to  tent  on  the  camp-ground 
at  our  next  camp-meeting  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  she;  "if  I  have  nothing  but  a  bush-tent." 

"  That  will  do,"  said  he.  "  I  know  you  will  do  it ;  and  I 
will  bring  my  wife  and  daughter." 

Now  Smith  had  always  been  contrary  about  building  a 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


231 


tent,  because  the  other  members  of  the  committee  would  not 
build  it  where  he  wanted  it.  And  yet  some  of  those  hollow 
souls  would  tell  it  that  Smith's  wife  was  the  cause  of  it. 
"  She  wanted  things  too  fine  and  grand."  He  would  not 
build  one  in  the  old  State.  What  was  the  matter  there  ? 
Other  people  were  as  able  as  Mr.  Smith  to  "  have  things 
fine  and  grand  there."  So  they  could  have  been  no  object 
of  envy  and  remark,  as  in  this  frontier  place. 

But  now  the  idea  possessed  Mrs.  Smith  that  she  would 
have  a  tent  of  any  kind,  if  it  was  only  a  bush-tent.  For 
Smith  had  said  to  her  he  never  would  build  one  there,  which 
he  never  did.  Here  was  faith  on  Mrs.  Smith's  part.  She 
trusted  in  God.  For  how  could  she  tell,  but  by  faith,  what 
frea^  might  take  Smith,  and  whether  he  would  allow  a  ser- 
vant to  build  even  a  bush-tent  for  her  ? 

That  year  things  went  on  better,  in  a  spiritual  point  of 
view,  than  they  ever  had  before,  as  they  did  the  first  year  of 
their  marriage  in  provision  matters.  This  year  Mrs.  Smith 
had  induced  her  husband  to  let  the  hands  working  and 
ploughing  in  the  field  stop  one  hour  every  preaching  day, 
which  was  only  once  every  two  wrecks  of  work-days.  And 
work  seemed  to  go  on  better  than  ever.  She  herself  had 
more  domestic  work  done ;  more  bed-quilts  made  and  quilted ; 
more  cloth  spun  and  woven,  and  everything  seemed  to  pros- 
per, although  sometimes  he  Avould  still  persecute  her. 

One  day,  she  thought  it  her  duty  to  read  the  word  of  God 
and  pray  with  the  servants,  as  a  good  many  of  them  by  this 
time  had  become  professors  of  religion,  and  some  of  them 
would  still  occasionally  follow  the  practice  of  lying.  She 
got  the  cook  to  get  on  the  dinner,  and  everything  was  so 
arranged  that  they  all  went  into  one  of  their  houses ;  and 
Mrs.  Smith  also  went,  read  and  prayed  with  and  for  them. 
By  the  time  their  meeting  ended,  the  master  returned  from 
the  field;  and  seeing  the  cook  emerging  from  the  house 


232 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


where  they  had  gathered  together,  and,  we  suppose,  guessing 
the  cause,  "  Where  have  you  been  all  this  time  ?  "  he  bawled 
out. 

His  wife,  meanwhile,  passed  on  quietly  down  to  the  work- 
house, to  give  some  directions  about  some  weaving  she  had 
on  hand.  He  drew  near,  and  belched  out  at  her.  But  she, 
being  full  of  the  good  Spirit,  answered  him  not  a  word,  but 
smiled  under  her  bonnet,  and  proceeded  on  to  her  work 
feeling  happy  and  joyful,  as  she  knew  she  was  in  the  dis- 
charge of  her  duty. 

One  night  she  went  to  a  prayer-meeting  held  at  a  school- 
house  not  a  mile  distant.  A  Baptist  minister  was  expected 
to  conduct  the  meeting.  To  this  man,  we  suppose.  Smith 
had  some  ill-will ;  on  what  account  or  for  what  cause  we 
never  knew,  unless  it  was  because  he  had  married  his 
brother's  widow.  To  this  meeting  Smith  would  not  go, 
nor  did  he  wish  his  wife  to  go.  But  she  took  some  of  their 
little  boys  and  servants,  and  went.  When  they  returned, 
lo  and  behold  all  the  doors  were  shut  and  closed  against 
her  and  her  eldest  boy  and  his  youngest  boy  by  the  first 
wife !  And  all  the  windows  were  down  also.  The  little 
boys  went  round  the  house  again  and  again,  calling  and 
trying  to  get  in.  But  no  answer  to  them.  Now  there  was 
one  window  which  she  knew  had  a  broken  pane  of  glass. 
Into  this  she  put  her  hand,  raised  the  window,  and  got  in 
and  opened  the  door  for  the  little  boys.  What  do  you 
think,  dear  reader,  of  such  an  example  for  a  professed 
Christian  father  to  set  before  his  poor  little  boys  ?  This 
was  the  way  he  fulfilled  his  promise  of  going  to  church  with 
her  every  time  she  wished.  Promises  with  some  men,  and 
women  too,  are  made  only  to  be  broken,  or  never  thought 
of  again,  or,  if  thought  of,  to  be  put  aside  as  in  noways 
binding.  The  moral  obligation  of  a  promise  has  no  weight 
with  them. 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


233 


When  the  time  came  round,  they  went  to  the  camp-meet- 
ing alluded  to  before.  Smith  kept  his  word,  and  never  did 
build  a  tent.  Neither  did  Mrs.  Smith  have  a  bush-tent. 
But  God  caused  a  man  to  move  out  of  that  neighborhood, 
and  leave  his  tent  to  Mrs.  Smith.  And  now  she  begged 
her  husband  to  let  the  servants  work  on  it  and  fix  it  up. 
Here  was  faith  and  the  fulfilment  of  it.  Every  servant 
worked  faithfully  this  time  to  get  off  to  the  camp-meeting, 
for  they  knew  that  if  their  mistress  had  anything  to  eat, 
they  would  be  sure  to  get  some ;  aiid  would  also  stand  a 
better  chance  to  go  to  the  camp-meeting  than  if  she  were 
not  there. 

The  master  and  mistress  did  not  get  off  to  the  camp-meet- 
ing until  Saturday  morning,  and  then  she  had  all  her  ar- 
rangements in  the  tent  to  make.  But  that  was  soon  done, 
and  presently  the  old  brother,  with  his  wife,  daughter,  and 
one  son,  came.  The  brother  elder  did  not  come  until  Sab- 
bath morning  about  nine  or  ten  o'clock.  Many  inquiries 
were  made  concerning  him,  as  his  not  coming  excited  some 
nneasiness  among  the  brethren,  as  he  was  expected  there  on 
Friday  evening.  When  he  did  arrive,  Mrs.  Smith  was  in 
her  tent  and  saw  him,  and  went  out  to  meet  him  and  wel- 
come him  to  their  tent.  Weary  messenger  of  the  cross  of 
Christ,  he  had  been  sick,  and  consequently  delayed  in  his 
coming.  He  was  weary  and  travel-worn.  Oh  who  that 
knows  anything  about  the  Christian  heart,  and  what  love  a 
truly  pious  soul  bears  a  truly  good  minister  of  the  Lord, 
but  must  know  what  joy  it  is  to  meet  one,  especially  when 
we  expect  to  hear  the  word  of  God  from  his  lips  ?  He 
preached  the  eleven  o'clock  sermon,  notwithstanding  his 
fatigue,  from  these  words,  "  If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ, 
seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth." 
He  spoke  of  the  wicked  being  buried  in  hell  and  seeing  the 
righteous  afar  off.  It  was  an  awfully  grand  sermon. 
20* 


234 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


About  that  time  one  of  Mrs.  Smith's  little  boys  came  to 
the  stand  in  an  unbecoming  plight,  and,  no  servant  being 
near,  she  arose  herself  and  took  the  little  fellow  to  the  tent. 
At  the  dinner-table  the  preacher  said,  "  Sister  Smith,  you 
did  not  hear  the  sermon  out."  She  replied  that  she  was 
compelled  to  leave  on  her  child's  account. - 

After  dinner  there  were  four  preachers  all  sitting  in  the 
entry,  which  was  very  narrow.  Mrs.  Smith  was  sitting  by 
the  inside  door  of  her  little  room.  They  were  all  in  what 
is  called  the  entrance  hall,  at  home,  near  the  door.  Mrs. 
Smith  was  near  enough,  however,  to  hear  them  talk,  the 
tent  being  small ;  and  she  was  listening  intently  to  the 
conversation  of  these  four  veterans  of  the  Cross.  It  remind- 
ed her  of  her  former  days  when  it  was  her  business,  on 
sacred  and  holy  occasions,  to  hear  Jesus's  words.  And  as 
she  did  not  have  Him  on  earth,  as  Mary  of  old  did,  she 
thought  the  next  thing  to  it  was  to  hear  these  heralds  of 
Jesus  when  she  could.  But  this  was  too  much  enjoyment 
to  be  allowed  her  now.  The  devil  could  not  endure  to  see 
it.  What !  four  of  God's  ministers  on  his  premises  ?  for  the 
devil  goes  to  camp-meetings,  as  well  as  others,  for  his  own 
purpose. 

She  saw  Smith  come  stalking  down  the  entrance  hall ; 
she  saw  him  look  at  her  and  then  pass  on  to  the  back  part 
of  the  tent  to  light  his  pipe.  She  followed  him  and 
looked  mto  his  face.  She  knew  the  demon  was  rising ;  she 
saw  the  venomous  leer  out  of  his  eye — the  green-eyed  mon- 
ster was  there  sure  enough.  He  did  not  sit  down  inside 
the  tent  with  his  brethren,  as  he  ought  to  have  done,  but 
took  a  seat  on  the  inside  of  the  dining-room.  She  herself 
took  a  seat  away  from  the  vicinity  of  the  preachers,  so  that 
she  might  have  nothing  to  say.  This  was,  we  think, 
humoring  the  devil  too  much.  He  never  could  bear  to  be 
petted  and  humored.  The  best  way  to  do  with  him,  and  all 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


235 


otlier  cowards,  (for  lie  is  a  coward,)  is  to  show  liiru  a  bold 
front.  Mrs.  Smiili  ought  to  have  gone  back  and  taken  her 
seat  nearer  the  ministers  of  God,  and  talked  in  good  earn- 
est, for  she  was  only  a  listener  before  Smith  came  in ;  and 
now  to  leave  off  listening,  was  granting  too  much  to  his 
tyrannical  and  overbearing  soul.  2\o  wonder  he  exacted 
more.  For  we  venture  the  assertion  that  not  one  of  those 
four  veterans  of  the  Cross  ^all  of  whom  were  old  or  middle- 
aged  men,  some  old  enough  for  Mrs.  Smith's  father,'/  would 
have  injured  Smith  or  his  wife  in  anything  whatever,  and  if 
they  thought  of  Mrs.  Smith  at  all,  ir  was  only  as  a  very 
good  woman,  one  like  Martha  of  old  in  caring  for  their 
comfort,  and  like  Mary  in  hearing  their  words  as  coming 
from  Jesus.  But  ,-he  let  his  conduct  mar  her  peace  during 
the  remainder  of  the  meeting.  She  thought  she  could  not 
feel  happy  under  such  influences,,  with  the  green  eye  gazing 
at  her  all  the  time  as  if  she  was  some  guilty  thing.  Oh 
would  that  we  could  have  been  there;  with  our  present  views 
and  feelings  on  the  subject,  we  think  we  would  have  stared 
him  out,  and  asked  him  what  he  was  looking  at,  and  if  he  had 
seen  and  found  the  villain,  and  if  he  was  ready  to  fight  it  out. 
'Nine  chances  to  one,  if  a  brave  front  like  this  had  not  made 
better  times  for  Mrs.  Smith.  Some  people  have  no  business 
with  amiable  dispositions ;  they  are  imposed  upon  and  tram- 
pled to  death. 

Smith  knew  his  wife  was  too  pure  to  think  of  any  other 
man,  even  though  he  were  a  brute  to  her.  But  he  felt  his 
own  inferiority  ;  and  as  he  had  done  wrong  once,  if  not  more, 
in  his  life,  he  had  no  c^)nfidence  in  himself  in  that  matter ; 
could  have  none ;  and  hence,  being  a  bad  man  himself, 
though  so  sly  about  it,  he  had  no  confidence  in  any  man. 
And  that  which  puzzles  us  was,  he  was-  so  little  acquainted 
with  true  womankind  that  he  wished,  or  pretended,  to  have 
but  little  confidence  in  them,  although  he  frequently  said 


236 


BREAD  OF  HEAVElyT, 


he  believed  his  wife  as  pure  as  an  angel  in  heaven,  and  that 
there  never  was  such  a  one  on  earth  before.  Too  good, 
by  far,  for  you,  Mr.  Smith.  A  wife  of  a  turbulent,  violent 
disposition,  and  one  that  would  have  stood  out  for  herself, 
would  have  suffered  less  in  your  cruel  hands.  Still,  he  had 
as  yet  said  nothing  to  her  about  any  of  these  preachers. 
One  of  them,  the  circuit  preacher,  the  old  brother,  was  at 
their  house  every  two  weeks,  and,  to  all  appearances,  Smith 
treated  him  like  a  brother. 

Oh,  horror,  for  a  land  of  Bibles  !  A  man  to  act  thus  in 
the  meridian  light  of  a  gospel  sun,  what  would  he  not  have 
done  in  a  dark  time  ?  Here  were  four  old  preachers,  almost 
every  one  old  enough  for  his  wife's  father,  old  soldiers  of 
the  cross  of  Christ,  who  would,  we  suppose,  as  soon  have 
harmed  their  OAvn  mother  or  daughters  as  either  Smith  or 
his  wife  

The  next  day  there  was  a  general  shout  in  all  that  camp. 
Jerome  Smith,  better  than  his  brother  in  being  what  he 
was,  had  built  himself  a  largeioni,  and  he  and  all  his  family 
were  there,  five  or  six  of  whom  had  that  day  professed  to 
find  the  Lord.  Smith  and  nearly  all  his  family  went  to 
his  brother's  tent,  as  also  nearly  all  the  people  on  the  en- 
campment. Smith  went  shouting  and  talking  all  the  way 
there,  but  Mrs.  Smith  could  not  shout;  she  never  did. 
Heavy  was  her  heart.  One  of  their  most  wicked  servants 
was  there  shouting,  and  hallooing,  "  Yonder 's  my  master ; 
don't  you  see  my  master  ?  "  The  same  one,  by  the  way,  who 
had  said  of  her  mistress,  when  the  man  of  God  came  on 
Sabbath,  "  Such  a  running  over  bushes  and  logs  she  never 
saw,"  because  her  mistress  stepped  over  a  bush  or  a  log  in 
the  way  to  meet  the  minister.  All  who  know  anything  of 
camp-grounds,  remember  that  bushes  and  logs  are  near 
neighbors  to  the  tents  ;  and  in  this  case  especially  so,  there 
having  been  no  pains  taken  to  clear  them  away,  as  Smith 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


237 


had  not  allowed  the  serYants  to  go  and  work  about,  nor  on 
the  tent  to  recover  it,  until  Friday  afternoon,  when  all  the 
other  tent^  were  moving  in  ;  and  consequently  this  kind  of 
timber  and  rubbish  was  almost  at  the  door  of  the  tent, 
indeed  was  right  at  the  cooking  place,  where  ]Mrs.  Smith 
was  standing  when  he  arrived.  Of  course  Mrs.  Smith 
could  not  feel  haj^py  under  such  circumstances.  There  was 
too  much  deception  and  too  much  evil  eye  doing  business. 
Her  genuine  soul  abhorred  such  worshipping  God.  Indeed, 
it  was  not  the  worship  of  God  —  such  mixtures  of  guile  and 
art,  so  that  even  the  veiy  servants  must  partake  of  the 
Satanic  influence  that  pervaded  the  mind  of  the  master. 
How  could  she  think  him  sincere  and  honest  ?  It  was  mere 
excitement  with  him,  for  which  she  knew  she  would  stifier. 
And  it  was  always  so,  —  the  better  the  preacher,  the  more 
good  likely  to  be  done,  the  bigger  the  fuss  the  devil  was 
sure  to  make  ;  and  he  would  most  assuredly  set  himself  right 
after  Mrs.  Smith  with  his  sharp,  hellish  stick.  Ah  !  was  it 
because  he  knew  he  held  her  husband  by  a  strong  hold,  and 
was  afraid  these  good  meetings  and  good  people  miglit  per- 
adventure  get  him  straight  and  right  with  the  Lord?  .  .  . 

This  was  another  never-to-be-forgotten  camp-meeting; 
just  such,  dear  reader,  as  we  are  afraid  you  will  get  weaiy 
of  But  stop,  we  are  not  done  yet.  Our  story  lies  in  and 
about  camp-meetings  pretty  much  to  the  end.  We  told  you 
before  that  the  devil  visits  these  places  of  resort  as  well  as 
other  people,  ?*nd  as  well  as  the  angels.  It  is  written,  "  When 
the  sons  of  God  presented  themselves  before  the  Lord,  the 
devil  presented  himself  also."  But  ought  we  to  call  his 
majesty  devil  so  much?  Suppose  we  change  it,  and  say 
Satan,  what  difierence  does  it  make  ?  Well,  call  him  what 
you  please.  Devil  means  to  pierce  through  and  dart  with 
fiery  arrows,  sometimes  to  the  quick  of  the  soul.  Satan  is 
the  grand  adversary  of  God  and  man.  .... 


238  BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN^ 

The  preacher  (the  elder,  we  mean,  foi  there  were  many- 
other  preachers  there,)  not  knowing  anything  of  Smith's 
disposition,  accompanied  the  family  home  from  the  camp- 
meeting.  He  had  been  there  several  times  before,  and 
Smith  had  always  treated  him  with  respect.  Nor  did  Mrs. 
Smith  herself  yet  know  anything  concerning  this  preacher 
in  Smith's  mind,  for  Smith  had  not  yet  developed  it  by 
words,  nor,  indeed,  by  looks,  any  more  than  the  four  in 
company  of  whom  he  was  one.  She  took  a  long  walk  with 
a  lady  friend,  after  having  seen  everything  packed  to  send 
home.  When  she  returned.  Smith  hurried  her  to  get  ready 
for  going  home,  saying  the  preacher  and  little  boys  were 
already  on  the  way.  This  was  another  one  of  the  indefin- 
able times  to  Mrs.  Smith.  She  would  have  been  glad  if 
the  man  of  God  had  gone  some  other  way,  or  that  her  hus- 
band would  be  like  a  husband  ought  to  be ;  for  to  be  for- 
ever afraid  to  look  or  speak,  for  fear  she  was  doing  wrong, 
she  knew  not  what  to  do.  She  had  gone  to  this  meeting 
through  a  great  effort,  and  faith  in  God  to  get  there.  She 
now  knew  there  was  something  wrong  brewing  in  Smith's 
mind.  She  dreaded  a  return  of  his  diabolic  jealousies  as  he 
once  had  of  Evans.  As  much  as  she  respected  true  gentle- 
men, and  ministers  of  the  gospel,  she  would  rather  never 
speak  to  another  man,  than  to  have  what  she  knew  to  be  his 
hellish  passions  revived  in  this  matter.  But  the  preacher 
had  asked  if  he  could  get  a  little  washing  done.  What 
could  she  say  but  tell  him  yes  ?  Smith  was  as  able,  or 
abler,  as  any  other  person  in  the  county,  and  it  seemed 
right  and  proper  that  he  should  extend  a  little  courtesy  to 
the  servants  of  the  Lord.  Indeed,  it  was  what  he  most 
legitimately  owed  them,  no  gift  at  all. 

They  all  dined.  Mrs,  Smith  had  been  busy  in  their  dining- 
room,  so  that  she  had  not  seen  the  preacher  after  their  ar- 
rival till  at  the  dinner-table.    Smith  took  him  to  the  fields 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


239 


to  see  his  nice  cro}^,  for  that  year  the  Lord  had  blessed  them 
with  the  prospect  of  a  bountiful  crop.  By  the  third  day  of 
April,  when  their  first  quarterly  meeting  came  off,  the  cot- 
ton was  chopped  out,  so  as  to  be  seen  from  row  to  row  in  a 
forty-acre  field  in  upland  ground.  And,  now,  why  should 
not  the  human  heart  smile  as  well  as  alj  nature  ?  Ah,  no  I 
the  blight  and  mildew  of  hell  must  be  upon  it.  It  would 
not  do ;  it  seemed  as  if  the  devil  did  not  have  his  works 
going  on,  too,  to  mar  God's  beautiful  creation.  He  twined 
himself  round  the  vines  and  bowers  of  Eden.  How  many 
other  would-be  Edens  has  he  destroyed,  if  not  by  a  bodily 
presence,  yet  by  his  personification  in  dark  suspicions  and 
characters  made  like  himself,  by  imbibing  largely  of  his 
Satanic  spirit.  Come,  oh  come,  that  blessed  time  when  his 
reign  shall  be  at  an  end. 

Mrs.  Smith  busied  herself  about  her  domestic  afiliirs  that 
day,  so  that  she  might  say  but  little  to  the  preacher — thus 
leaving  him  entirely  to  the  company  of  her  husband  and 
their  little  boys.  She  remained  in  her  own  room  and  in 
the  kitchen.  The  clothes  were  attended  to  and  sent  in  to 
the  preacher.  That  night  Smith  was  caressingly  fond  of 
his  wife  again. 

"  Oh,"  said  she,  "  you  have  not  treated  me  right."  For 
she  had  not  been  happy  one  moment  since  that  look  on  Sab- 
bath, and  this  was  now  Wednesday  night  after.  And  now 
he  was  all  to  pieces.  And  whether  she  ought  to  have  al- 
luded to  it  or  not,  we  do  not  know.  We  suppose  a  woman 
has  a  right  to  vindicate  herself  even  from  a  wicked  look. 
It  is  hard  for  a  woman,  or  man  either,  to  hold  in  forever, 
and  never  say  a  word,  under  the  hottest  torture  of  jealous 
persecution,  which  is  the  worst  of  persecutions.  Thus  she 
had  been  tortured  during  eight  years  —  bearing  her  mighty 
burden  alone.  Need  we  wonder  if  her  patience  did  not  or 
could  not  last  always  ? 


240 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


Next  morning,  while  the  preacher's  horse  was  being  shod, 
(for  Smith  kept  a  blacksmith-shop,  and  had  his  blacksmiths,) 
and  his  shoes  having  been  blacked.  Smith  brought  them  in, 
and  handed  them  to  his  wife,  and  bid  her  carry  them  up  to 
the  preacher  in  his  room.  Such  an  insult  to  a  modest,  vir- 
tuous woman  was  intolerable.  It  was  fiendish  ;  and  although 
her  cheeks  burned  as  if  scorched  by  the  flames,  yet  she  said 
nothing  to  him  but  to  carry  them  himself,  if  he  wished 
them  carried.  Insatiate  demon  ;  was  he  never  satisfied  but 
in  torturing  his  victim,  whom  he  kept  confined  to  him  as 
with  the  tenacity  of  life  ?  And  then  he  went  about  like  a 
distracted  man,  as  we  suppose  he  was  in  part  —  at  least  by 
sin  and  Satan.  Yet  he  appeared  pretty  much  like  he  did 
when  going  over  the  encampment  shouting ;  and  we  sup- 
pose about  as  religious  in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other. 

As  Mrs.  Smith  passed  through  the  front  room  where  the 
preacher  sat,  all  unconscious  yet  of  Smith's  doings,  —  as 
she  had  to  pass  that  way  to  go  to  the  breakfast-table,  —  she 

said  to  him,  "  Brother  ,  can  you  call  on  the  Lord  in 

behalf  of  Mr.  Smith  ?  for  he  seems  to  think  there  is  an 
unthie  attachment  between  us."  The  first  time  such  a  thing 
had  ever  escaped  her  lips,  though  she  had  borne  it  so  long. 
The  man  of  God  was  thunderstruck,  as  well  he  might  be, 
for  he  knew  Smith  had  no  cause  for  such  a  thought. 

"  Why,"  said  he,  "  I  would  as  soon  have  thought  such  a 
tiling  of  an  angel." 

And  so  would  Mrs.  Smith  have  thought  an  angel  capable 
of  such  a  thing  as  soon  as  this  man  of  God. 

We  would  not  thus  speak  of  all  who  bear  that  sacred 
name ;  for  if  we  ever  believe  what  we  hear  and  read,  we 
have  heard  from  several  sources  sad  tales  of  those  who 
ought  to  have  demeaned  themselves  very  differently;  and 
how  they  have  disgraced  themselves,  and  brought  reproach 
upon  that  holy  name  by  which  they  are  called ;  stabbed  the 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWII^E. 


241 


blessed  Saviour  in  the  liouse  of  His  professed  friends,  and  put 
Him  to  an  open  sliame.  But  this  man,  so  far  as  Mrs.  Smith 
knew,  was  as  clear  of  any  such  monstrous  designs  and 
heinous  offence  as  the  angel  Gabriel  is  before  the  throne 
of  God.  And  Smith  knew  all  the  time  that  he  was  acting 
a  lie.  "Why  did  he  not  tell  the  man  his  thoughts  ?  Ah  no  ! 
that  would,  perhaps,  have  broken  the  devil's  spell.  But  to 
speak  of  preachers.  We  need  not  go  back  in  our  minds  to 
Bathsheba  and  David,  king  of  Israel.  We  have  sad  stories 
of  woe  of  this  kind  of  a  more  recent  date.  Yea,  woful  to 
tell ;  some  that  have  gone  abroad  in  the  earth  even  in  our 
own  time,  not  a  score  of  years  ago.  Nor  can  we  do  as  a 
great  many  men  do,  blame  the  woman  most,  as  is  generally 
the  case.  Even  the  great  Dr.  Adam  Chirk,  whom  we  ad- 
mire in  almost  everything,  in  one  instance  seems  to  be 
guilty  of  an  act  of  injustice  to  a  woman,  in  the  case  of 
David  and  Bathsheba.  He  deplores  the  case  and  fete  of 
Uriah,  the. worthy,  honest,  poor  man;  pities  David,  and 
thought  meanly  of  Bathsheba  for  too  great  a  display  of 
personal  charms.  •  In  the  name  of  heaven  I  how  any  divine, 
who  is  as  equitable  as  the  Doctor  generally  is,  could  put 
such  a  construction  on  the  sacred  text,  we  cannot  see.  For 
it  simply  states  the  woman  was  washing  herself  in  the  gar- 
den. And  how  any  impious  king  dare  be  immodest  enough 
to  look  towards  a  woman  washing,  we  cannot  tell,  especially 
David,  the  Lord's  anointed.  We  would  not  have  been  sur- 
prised if  it  had  been  old  King  Henry  the  Eighth,  whom  we 
despise.  But  David  had  been  chosen  of  God,  from  follow- 
ing the  sheepcots  and  taking  care  of  the  lambs  in  the 
wilderness.  We  can  account  for  it  only  in  this  way.  He 
had  been  lounging  about  that  day  instead  of  going  out  to 
battle,  and  enduring  hardness,  as  he  had  before  he  became 
king ;  and  now  the  Tempter  came,  arid  he  seemed  to  find  a 
21  Q 


242  BREAD  OF  HEAVEJf, 

ready,  willing  subject  in  him.  He  saw  a  woman  washing, 
and  sent  and  took  her. 

Now  here  is  a  point  to  consider.  Could  Bathsheba  have 
refused  to  go?  If  she  could,  then  we  blame  her;  if  not,  the 
whole  blame  rests  on  David's  devoted  head,  who — although 
now  king  of  Israel,  and  the  Lord  had  brought  him  through 
so  many  sorrows  from  Saul  and  Saul's  family,  and  had  ex- 
alted him  above  him  and  all  his  house  —  must  now  fall 
that  disgraceful  fall !  tempted  by  the  potent  and  awful  sight 
of  a  woman  washing !  "  O  tell  it  not  in  Gath,  publish  it 
not  in  the  streets  of  Askelon."  Wonder  not  if  the  daugh- 
ters of  the  uncircumcised  laugh !  O  wonder  of  wonders  to 
us,  that  a  man  who  is  called  a  man  after  God's  own  heart 
could  ever  do  such  a  thing.  And  herein  is  where  you  men 
are  not  to  be  accounted  for.  How  glad  would  we  be  if  no 
such  story  was  in  the  Bible,  and  still  more  glad  that  it 
never  existed ;  because  it  is  so  oft  resorted  to  by  the  licen- 
tious, the  libidinous  and  lustful  as  a  support  for  their  con- 
duct. Of  course,  the  sacred  text  bears  no  such  construction. 
But  they  wrest  that,  as  they  do  all  the  other  Scriptures,  to 
their  condemnation,  forgetting  that  the  blessed  Saviour 
says,  "  Whosoever  looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her, 
hath  committed  adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart." 
And  this  seems  to  be  without  her  consent,  too,  for  it  does 
not  say  nor  intimate  that  the  woman  so  sinned  against  even 
knew  it  or  was  aware  of  the  adulterous  look.  And  this 
David  should  have  thought  of,  and  turned  his  eyes  another 
way,  or  have  gone  on  his  knees  in  mighty  prayer  to  God, 
like  he  prayed  when  Saul  was  hunting  him  down  ;  for  how 
dare  he,  the  holy  king,  the  anointed  of  the  Lord,  look  on 
such  a  sight  as  a  woman  washing  ? 

Alas!  alas !  well  may  it  be  said,  in  common  phraseology, 
poor  human  nature ;  but  we  are  of  opinion  this  is  not  human 
nature,  but  devil  nature.    For  did  he  not  begin  tampering 


AXD   HUSKS  OF  STTIXE. 


243 


witli  the  woman  ?  and  since  tliat  time,  is  not  his  nature  so 
mixed  up  with  men, -and  woman  too  (more  the  pitv),  that  it 
is  hard  to  tell  the  true  characters  from  the  counterfeits  ? 
And  herein  is  his  grand  deyice,  that  we  may  believe  there 
is  none  good.  Alas  !  alas !  what  injury  this  falsehood  has 
done  to  bleeding,  innoceur,  suffering  virtue !  For  we  believe 
there  are  thousands  and  millions  of  our  sex,  good  women, 
who  would  never  do  wrong,  though  no  eye  on  earth  should 
ever  see  them.  Of  this  class  was  our  heroine ;  for  she 
remembered  that  the  great  eye  of  Jehovah  was  upon  her.  .  . 

The  minister  had  said  that  his  wife  was  about  the  size  of 
Mrs.  Smith ;  and  whether  he  felt  any  more  attachment  to 
her  from  that  circumstance  than  to  other  sisters  of  the  church, 
we  do  not  know.  Of  one  thing  we  are  sure ;  that  although 
Mrs.  Smith  esteemed'  him  very  highly  as  a  truly  apostolic 
man  of  God,  yet  she  paid  him  no  more  attention  than  she 
did  other  preachers.  But  there  were  not  such  wc^en  a-s 
Mrs.  Smith  to  be  met  with  every  day.  One  so  kind,  so 
gentle,  so  modest,  and  so  conversant  with  the  Scriptures,  so 
ardently  devoted  to  the  Lord,  with  such  warm  affections  to 
all  the  people  of  God,  could  make  them  so  welcome  at  her 
house,  and  with  such  cheerfulness,  alacrity,  and  delight 
would  wait  on  them,  would  have  considered  nothing  a  hard 
task  to  perform  for  the  dear  disciples  of  her  Lord.  And 
this  Smith  knew,  and  if  others  knew  it  too,  he  should  not 
have  blamed  them.  On  the  contrary,  he  should  have 
been  proud  of  his  wife,  which,  in  reality,  he  was,  or  pre- 
tended to  be,  when  in  a  sane  state.  For  she  had  waited  on 
him  and  his  with  the  same  delight,  gratuitously  too,  as  much 
in  one  case,  or  more;  for  in  one  she  got  the  words  of  eter- 
nal life  preached  to  the  comfort  of  her  soul ;  in  the  other, 
she  received  naught  but  the  pittance  of  what  she  ate  and 
wore,  and  much  begrudging  about  that,  especially  among 
his  children. 


244 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEK, 


Mrs.  Smith  thought  perhaps  the  man  of  God  wouki  speak 
to  Smith  about  this  matter ;  thinking,  perhaps,  it  might  have 
a  good  effect  upon  his  imbecile  mind.  So  little  did  she 
know  him  yet,  after  having  lived  with  him  eight  years  in 
the  close  intimacy  of  married  life.  And  if  he  had  known, 
hypocrite  that  he  was,  that  his  wife,  his  poor  victim,  had 
dared  to  name  this  subject  to  this  man,  no  matter  if  it  was 
to  have  them  face  to  face  and  an  explanation  take  place, 
it  would  have  been  curious  to  know  what  Smith  would  have 
done.  He  might  have  held  in  while  he  was  present,  but 
after  he  was  gone,  woe  be  to  her.  For  there  was  a  tale  rife 
among  these  old  negroes  of  Smith's  w^hich  had  some  truth 
in  it ;  it  was  this,  that  no  matter  what  these  Smiths  did, 
especially  of  that  family,  no  matter  how  true  the  story  might 
be,  woe  be  to  you  if  you  told  it,  if  they  ever  found  it  out 
that  you  told  it.  Or  he  might  have  become  raging,  and 
boiling,^and  so  made  matters  ten  times  worse  than  they 
were.  This  was  one  thing  that  induced  Mrs.  Smith  to  bear 
this  dread  secret  so  long  in  her  own  bosom.  She  knew  him 
not,  after  all  this  time;  she  was  indeed  blind.  But  she 
asked  the  minister,  before  he  left,  if  he  had  named  it  to  her 
husband.    "  No,"  said  he,  "  I  '11  never  mention  it  to  him." 

Another  reason  of  Mrs.  Smith's  was  that  she  hoped  the 
preacher  never  would  come  again,  and  then  perhaps  Smith 
would  leave  off  telling  her  of  him.  Vain  hope !  the  minister 
never  did  come  again.  But  after  he  left,  Smith  went  about 
like  a  crazy  man.  Mrs.  Smith  was  determined,  for  one 
time,  she  would  not  run  after  him  with  endearments  after 
such  recent  developments,  and  such  shouting  at  the  camp- 
meeting.  She  thought  and  knew  he  might  do  better. 
Just,  as  it  were,  coming,  as  he  seemed  to  think  himself, 
from  the  very  droppings  of  the  sanctuary,  where  he  had 
been  walking  about  praising  God  aloud,  from  under  preach- 
ing of  this  very  man,  whom  he  knew  had  not  spoken  five 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


245 


words  to  his  wife  all  the  time  at  the  camp-ground,  nor  at 
their  home,  without  his  eye  being  upon  them.  Now  he 
would  go  to  the  field  and  return,  and  now  follow  her  up 
stairs,  where  she  oft  resorted  for  meditation  and  prayer,  and 
now  he  would  look  at  her,  and  she  at  him  ;  yet  not  a  word 
said  on  either  side.  Once  she  said,  mentally,  "Shall  I 
speak  ?  "  and  instantly  replied,  "  No  !  I  will  tough  him  out 
this  time.  He  knows  he  is  following  a  phantom,  an  imagi- 
nation of  the  brain,  and  if  his  heart  is  in  it,  it  is  the  worse 
for  him."  But  it  was  at  her  cost  not  to  speak,  and  whether 
she  ought  not  to  have  spoken  and  broken  the  dread  spell 
that  was  upon  him,  we  cannot  decide.  Her  speaking  might 
have  broken  it,  or  it  might  not.  And  she  was  weary  to 
death  (yes,  death  would  have  been  preferable  away  from 
that  family)  of  the  never-ceasing  tale  of  vindication,  to 
which  she  was  of  course  compelled  to,  when  she  spoke  at  all. 
And  she  knew  well  that  he  knew,  and  believed,  her  inno- 
cent ;  had  he  not  said  so  a  thousand  times  ?  And  we  doubt 
very  much,  if  any  one  had  said  a  word  against  his  wife, 
whether  he  would  not  have  had  a  fight  on  his  hands,  or 
some  heavy  words.  He  would  have  talked  very  angrily 
and  wrathful,  we  suppose,  judging  from  his  temperament  on 
such  matters.  Then,  wherefore,  all  this  malice  and  vituper- 
ation against  his  cherished  object?  A¥e  cannot  account 
for  it,  unless  the  man  was  a  fool  or  a  madman,  or  both. 
Judge  ye  who  read.  But  now,  while  under  his  frenzy,  he 
would  go  about,  and  take  up  his  little  girl  in  his  lap  and 
soliloquize  to  himself,  and  say,  "  O  thou  adulterer  and 
adulteress  !  "  This  was  a  horrid  word  to  sound  in  Mrs. 
Smith's  ears,  but  still  she  said  nothing.  She  knew  it  did 
not  apply  to  her  case ;  and  if  he  himself  was  an  adulterer, 
it  was  more  than  she  knew  or  thought  then.  She  did  not 
retort  on  him,  and  say,  "  Mr.  Smith,  who  do  you  mean,  or 
to  whom  are  you  talking  ?  "  No ;  she  was  silent.  That 
21* 


246 


BREAD   or  HEAVEIT, 


well-bred  and  Christ-like  way  of  not  hearing  evil  and  im- 
pertinent and  malicious  remarks  is  ignored  by  the  vulgar, 
or  construed  into  "  silence  gives  consent,"  not  to  the  holy 
magnanimity  and  Christ-like,  soldier-like  heroism  which 
inspires  it. 

Now  about  eventide,  having  said  nothing  to  his  tortured 
wife  all  day  since  the  morning,  nor  she  a  word  to  him,  he 
took  a  freak  to  pretend  to  go  off ;  put  on  his  overcoat,  and 
pretended  to  bid  them  all  good-bye  but  her ;  went  to  an  old 
negro  woman,  whom  he  had  even  endeavored  to  make  his 
wife  believe  was  the  chief  one  in  making  his  children  to  hate 
her.  He  went  to  the  old  negress,  we  say,  and  asked  her 
which  of  his  children  she  had  rather  live  with.  Was  not 
that  funny?  Was  not  that  noble?  Was  not  that  wise? 
Was  he  not  now  joined  with  the  enemy,  if  this  old  negress 
was  one  ?  O  sin !  how  beautiful  you  think  you  are,  and 
how  beautifully  you  make  your  favorite  votaries  appear. 

And  then,  after  exciting  all  the  household  but  Mrs.  Smith, 
he  went  off,  all  the  way  down  to  the  gin-house,  about  a  hun- 
dred paces  from  his  dwelling-house,  and  there  stayed  awhile. 
Bravo,  Mr.  Smith  !  Where  now  ?  Are  you  bound  to  Cali- 
fornia ?  Why  not  stop  and  take  some  of  your  family  with 
you?  Take  that  old  negress,  especially.  What  will  become 
of  your  broad  acres  of  cotton  and  corn,  for  which  you  are 
selling  your  soul  and  all  your  best  interests  ?  We  declare 
you  are  a  strange  man.  Ah,  but  we  know  you  are  not  going 
far.  You  are  only  'possuming,  thinking  somebody  will  come 
after  you. 

The  family  was  in  an  uproar.  They  had  not  seen  such 
a  freak  as  this  exhibited  openly  since  this  wife's  time  with 
him :  he  had  done  all  his  bad  doings  of  this  kind  in  secret. 

The  pert  old  negress  alluded  to  above  came  rushing  in, 
and  exclaiming,  "  Miss  Grace,  what  have  you  done  to  mas- 
ter ?  "    Although  not  a  word  was  said  about  Miss  Grace,  in 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


247 


all  his  distractions ;  yet  such  were  the  attachraer.L^  he  pre- 
tended to  this  wife — and  believed  to  be  by  his  family  of 
most  of  his  negroes  and  children  —  that  they  very  naturally 
centred  on  her  for  a  cause  of  this  precipitate  pretended  leav- 
ing of  them.  As  self-preservation  is  the  first  instinct  of  all 
animals,  both  brute  and  human,  they  cast  in  their  minds, 
"  What  will  become  of  me,  if  master  goes  away  ? "  No  care 
farther  than  self  was  concerned.  And  it  does  seem  to  us 
that  it  would  have  been  a  justifiable  act,  if  the  old  evil  one 
could  have  been  hurled  out  at  the  door  for  her  impertinent 
interference.  But  Mrs.  Smith  had  been  so  mild  and  gentle 
to  them,  besides,  they  had  been  allowed  such  unbridled  use 
of  the  tongue,  that  they  feared  not  to  say  anything  they 
pleased. 

One  of  the  boys,  the  third  son,  was,  poor  fellow,  really 
afraid  his  papa  would  go  ofi" ;  for  he  w^as  too  young  to  know 
how  he  had  done  in  his  mother's  lifetime,  having  never 
seen  anything  of  this  kind  before  in  Mrs.  Smith's  mar- 
ried lifetime,  for,  as  said  before,  she  had  kept  all  his  doings 
secret.  And  he.  Smith,  was  making  it  public  before  his 
family  for  the  first  time  now.    This  boy  said  to  Mrs.  Smith, 

"  I  know  he  always  loved  you  so  much." 

And  she  replied  to  the  poor  fellow,  "  I  suppose  /  ought  to 
know  about  that  matter." 

Mrs.  Smith  backed  the  pretended  madman  out  this  time. 
She  did  not  scream,  nor  follow^  him,  nor  promise  any  amend- 
ment :  how  could  she  ?  She  had  done  nothing  but  bear  his 
abuse.  She  made  no  ado  about  him,  had  supper,  and  the 
table-things  all  cleared  away,  and  went  in  their  sitting-room 
and  sat  down  with  the  little  children,  three  of  her  own  and 
two  youngest  of  the  former  wdfe.  Poor  little  forlorn  crea- 
tures !  to  have  such  a  father.  "  Ah,  but,"  says  one  of  the 
enemy,  "to  have  such  a  mother."  Pray,  sir  enemy,  what 
evil  had  she  done?    Even  Pilate,  (Smith  himself,)  if  in 


248 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


a  sane,  sensible  mood,  would  have  said,  "  I  find  no  fault  in 
her.  Take  ye  her  ye  say,  and  crucify  her ;  for  J  find  no 
fault  in  her." 

Presently  our  hero  came  sneaking  back,  came  into  the 
house  where  she  sat  all  innocently  with  her  children,  after 
having  gone  no  farther  than  the  gin-house.  Brave  hero ! 
almost  as  triumphant  as  when  he  burned  the  newspaper. 
And  we  do  declare,  aside  from  the  seriousness  and  pain  it 
must  have  cost  Mrs.  Smith,  it  is  enough  to  make  Satan 
laugh.  And  we  suppose  he  did  laugh.  These  were  just 
such  doings  as  he  liked.  We  imagine  he  had  a  jolly  time 
with  his  compeers  over  this  conquest  of  Smith.  His  wife 
they  could  not  conquer ;  though  they  could  bruise  her  heel 
and  heart  too,  sometimes.  Yet  she  could,  by  her  Saviour, 
"  bruise  his  head."  But  these  present  triumphs  of  Satan 
over  Smith  were  well  calculated  to  do  away  all  the  good 
resulting  from  a  good  meeting,  or  anything  else  that  was 
good. 

The  same  old  negress,  who  was  a  favorite  with  the  master, 
said  these  were  no  strange  doings  to  her  or  any  of  the  older 
servants.  That  master  could  never  go  to  a  camp-meeting 
without  setting  the  plantation  afire  when  he  returned  home. 
That  their  former  mistress  used  to  say  he  was  mad  about 
the  time  lost  and  what  was  eaten ;  for  we  do  not  know  that 
he  did  or  did  not  throw  up  the  preachers  to  her.  Poor, 
foolish  man.  We  do  not  suppose  any  of  them  wanted  either 
of  his  wives ;  and  it  was  nothing  but  Satan's  doings  that  he 
carried  on  so.  He  suffered  himself  to  be  led  by  him  cap- 
tive at  his  will.  He  did  not  resist  him  at  all ;  or,  if  at  all, 
it  was  so  feeble  that  it  amounted  to  no  resistance.  The 
poor  little  children,  five  in  number,  knew  nothing  of  all  this 
work  of  their  papa,  unless  it  was  the  oldest  daughter,  a 
cunning  girl  to  learn  evil,  especially  from  apt  teachers, 
such  as  our  old  negress.    But  unless  she  did  learn  or  hear 


AXD   HUSKS   OF- SWINE. 


249 


sometliiDg  from  that  source,  this  poor  child,  who  really  then 
did  appear  to  love  her  mother,  knew  nothing ;  for  Mrs.  Smith, 
for  the  world,  would  not  have  talked  of  their  father  to 
these  poor  children.  Hapless  children  I  How  will  Smith 
account  in  the  'day  of  judgment  for  their  moral  culture. 
He  cared  not  for  it ;  or  at  least  paid  no  attention  to  it. 
He  gave  them  meat  and  bread,  and  took  no  farther  pains 
about  their  souls.  He  never  prayed  v>-ith  them;  if  he 
prayed  for  them,  we  know  not.  When  Mrs.  Smith  would 
have  them  together  every  morning,  and  the  eldest  read  a 
chapter  in  the  Bible,  and  then  all  to  kneel  down  and  say, 
"  Our  Father,"  etc.,  Smith  would  be  in  the  next  room. 
And  if  anything  came  in  the  way ;  if  the  hogs  got  into 
the  yard,  through  the  gate  be^ng  left  open,  or  in  any  other 
way,  he  would  be  driving  them  out,  while  his -wife  and  five 
of  his  children  were  thus  engaged.  This  was  his  course. 
Mrs.  Smith  not  only  had  the  five  white  children  thus  engaged, 
but  all  the  little  darkies  that  stayed  about  the  house.  Each 
one  repeated  the  Lord's  prayer  after  her  till  it  was  learned 
by  all.  And  in  the  evening  each  one  was  taught  to  say 
that  almost  universal  evening  prayer  taught  by  mothers  . 
to  their  children,  "  I^^"ow  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep,"  etc. 


CHAPTEPv  Xin. 

ME.  SMITH  AXD  THE  PEEACHEE. 

MRS.  SMITH  feared  now  that  Smith  had,  in  common 
parlance,  let  the  cat  out  among  some  of  the  negroes 
at  least ;  nay,  all,  for  such  a  tit-bit  as  that  could  not  fail  to 
be  repeated  to  every  one  on  the  plantation  by  the  old 


250 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


negress,  if  no  one  else.  And  also  some  of  the  older  children 
knew  it.  We  heard,  years  after,  that  that  same  boy,  after 
he  was  a  man,  when  under  some  peculiar  circumstances 
he  might  have  done  Mrs.  Smith  some  good  by  being 
just,  very  injuriously  said  that  his  Pa  w6nt  off  and  left 
her  at  one  time.  Bravo,  young  Mr.  Smith  !  God  help  you : 
you  are  almost  as  brave  as  your  father.  Did  you  not  tell 
her  then  he  loved  her  very  much  ?  And  did  she  not  tell 
you  she  ought  to  be  a  judge  of  that  matter?  And  if  her 
judgment  is,  that  neither  of  you  knew,  towards  her,  what 
love  means,  would  she  not  be  right  ?  Poor  fellow  !  we  are 
sorry  for  you,  that  you  should  let  ignorance,  prejudice,  envy, 
and  malice  so  sway  your  mind  that  you  could  not  do  what 
you  knew  to  be  justice  to  this  woman.  Heaven  help  you ; 
for  you  have  yet  to  give  an  account  of  these  words.  As  it 
happened  to  be  one  who  was  disposed  to  be  friendly  to  Mrs. 
Smith,  it  did  not  injure  her  with  that  one.  But  how  many 
have  been  prejudiced  by  you  against  her  in  the  same  way, 
who  knew  her  not,  judge  ye?  Look  into  it,  for  you  will  be 
compelled  to  face  it  when  the  books  are  opened  and  all  flesh 
shall  stand  before  God. 

Then  there  were  grounds  for  fears  of  wrong  versions  get- 
ting afloat  in  the  world;  still,  all-conscious  Truth,  she  would 
think,  how  could  it  be  otherwise  than  that  her  side  and 
cause  should  be  vindicated,  because  it  was  the  right  side. 
Poor  woman !  how  little  did  she  know  of  the  world,  or  the 
people  in  it.  Married  very  young,  all  she  knew  of  the 
world,  or  the  evil  of  it,  aside  from  her  father's  inebriation, 
and  trouble  consequent  from  that  circumstance,  was  con- 
fined to  Smith's  family.  True,  she  would  open  her  eyes 
sometimes  in  bewildered  amazement  at  some  monstrous  de- 
velopment of  sin  from  some  young  sinner  of  the  family,  not 
over  fourteen  years  old,  who  it  would  seem  to  her  ought 
to  be  a  hundred  years  old  to  show,  such  a  growth  in  sin,  — 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


251 


not  taking  into  con.?ii:leration  the  apt  teaching  of  the  darkies, 
the  prolific  soil,  and  nothing  of  a  moral  nature  to  check  it. 
ZS'ot  even  the  Bible  read,  so  as  to  learn  duty  on  all  such 
occasions  as  that  of  speaking  of  another,  or  trying  to  injure 
one  in  his  absence.  But  she  did  not  think  the  whole  world 
like  Smith's  family.  Piry  that  it  should  have  been.  Xor 
wa.s  she  conscious  of  half  the  evil  going  on  around,  and  in 
the  neighborhood.  X or  do  we  know  whether  her  course 
of  conduct  was  ever  righted  with  the  vicious  in  that  section. 
Sometimes  we  have  thought  it  might  never  be  adjusted  un- 
til the  day  of  judgment.  AVe  have  often  thought  of  that 
Scripture,  in  reference  to  this  case :  Shall  bring  forth  thy 
righteousness  as  the  light,  and  thy  judgment  as  the  noon- 
day." Surely,  God's  word  cannot  tail ;  let  God  be  true,  and 
every  man  a  liar.  Surely,  He  will  bring  it  forth  in  His  own 
good  time,  which  will  be  due  time.  The  ways  of  the  Lord 
are  past  finding  out,  and  His  judgment  and  counsels  un- 
searchable. 

The  more  the  true  Christian  sufiers,  the  brighter  he  shines 
and  the  happier  he  is,  because  grace  is  ever  given  to  the 
true  child  of  God  proportionate  to  the  weights  and  burdens 
he  carries.  And  we  would  not  this  day  exchange  the  con- 
dition of  that  persecuted  woman  of  God  for  all  those  pleas- 
ure seekers  and  pleasure-loving  and  ease-loving  daughters 
of  Zion — nominally  daughters  who  go  about  rolling  in  their 
ease  and  all  the  splendor  that  their  money  can  procure 
them.  "What  good  do  they  ?  Almost  a  pertect  nuisance 
in  the  church  of  the  Lord.  Some  of  them,  when  they  do 
perform  a  good  act,  or  give  a  few  dollars,  seem  to  think  it 
ought  to  stretch  through  all  time,  and  exonerate  them  for- 
ever from  farther  effort  or  sacrifice  in  the  cause  of  Christ. 
Sacrifice,  indeed !  when  did  they  ever  deny  themselves  one 
groat's  worth  of  comfort  for  the  cause  of  Christ?  Why, 
they  almost  think  in  their  hearts  that  the  Almighty  is  com- 


252 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


plimented  by  their  munificence ;  not  considering  that  all 
they  have,  yea,  the  very  breath  in  their  nostrils,  God  has 
given  them,  or  rather  lent  them.  The  Almighty  lend  to 
them  ?  Why,  what  a  wide  mistake  they  make  we  think.  It 
is  their  own  industry,  perseverance,  and  economy  that  have 
procured  all  these  things  for  them.  "  Is  not  this  great 
Babylon  which  I  have  builded,"  the  language  of  some  ;  even 
forgetting  that  some  of  them  have  what  they  possess  by  in- 
heritance, and  never  worked  a  day  for  anything  in  all 
their  lives ;  but  they  have  saved  it,  and  added  to  it.  They 
have  lived  on  the  income,  which  perhaps  is  pretty  large, 
and,  absorbing  it  all  to  themselves,  have  had  ample  for  all 
their  wants  and  wishes ;  and  have  in  many  ten  thousand 
instances  forgotten  the  poor,  who  labor  hard  for  their  daily 
bread  ;  and  do  not  know,  neither  consider,  nor  care  to  think 
how  a  little,  just  a  little,  of  their  abundance  would  help  to 
ease  the  burden  of  life  with  these  honest,  laboring  poor, 
whom  the  Lord  loves,  and  has  left  here  for  the  purpose  of 
trying  their  virtues.  "  The  poor  ye  have  always  with  you," 
said  our  Saviour,  "  but  me  ye  have  not  always."  Some  will 
go  so  far  as  to  say,  that  if  they  (the  poor)  would  labor  aright, 
they  would  not  be  so  poor.  Now  this  seems  to  be  in  direct 
contradiction  to  the  word  of  God,  who,  it  seems,  has  left,  by 
His  providence,  some  of  His  best  people  on  earth  poor. 
Yea,  some  whom  heaven  itself  derides  riot  in  luxury  and 
pride,  while  some  of  God's  dearest  children  are  bathed  in 
tears.  He  having  provided  some  better  inheritance  for 
them ;  that  is,  an  heavenly  one,  and  an  enduring  one. 
For  rarely  do  we  see  many  rich  who  are  not  seared,  or  more 
or  less  afiected  contrary  to  gospel  teachings  on  the  subject. 

And  we  do  boldly  affirm,  without  fear  of  contradiction, 
that  it  is  one  of  the  rarest  things  our  eyes  have  yet  beheld, 
to  see  one  who  has  everything  about  him  superabundantly, 
who  has  a  tender  heart  towards  the  poor ;  who  does  not 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


253 


pique  himself  more  or  less  on  account  of  it,  and  look  down 
■Nvith  contempt  upon  those  who  have  not  these  advantages. 
Let  the  poor  be  ever  so  good,  it  is  all  the  same  with  the 
purse-proud.  He  will  say  that  they  should  have  done  bet- 
ter, and  then  they  woukl  have  had  more  of  this  world's 
goods ;  forgetting  that  their  quarrel  is  with  their  Maker, 
^vho  can  prosper  whom  He  will,  and  can  turn  things  to  their 
advantage  as  easy  as  He  can  turn  the  rivers  of  water,  yea, 
and  does  it,  we  suppose,  where  He  sees  it  best  for  the  salva- 
tion of  the  soul;  but  otherwise  withholds  it,  because  the  soul 
is  of  infinite  more  value  than  all  on  earth  besides.  But  woe 
unto  many  daughters  in  our  land  who  are  at  ease  in  Zion. 
They  have  forgotten  the  word  that  speaketh  thus :  "  Inasmuch 
as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  of  the  lead  of  these,  ye  did  it  not 
to  me.  And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punish- 
ment ;  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal.'^ 

But  why  waste  pen,  ink,  paper,  and  time  on  this  subject? 
Some,  we  fear,  will  never  mend  on  this  duty,  until  they  hear 
the  awful  words,  "  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  woe, 
prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.  For  I  was  an  hun- 
gered, and  ye  fed  me  not,"  etc.  For  these,  we  must  remem- 
ber, were  professors  of  religion  as  well  as  others ;  but  only 
half  of  them  did  good,  the  half  that  had  oil  in  their  lamps. 
And  the  others  (foolish  ones)  are  not  charged  with  wicked- 
ness and  crime,  as  we  denominate  them,  but  with  neglect  of 
God's  people  —  His  poor,  of  course,  as  the  rich  people  do  not 
often  meet  with  neglect.  But  His  poor,  who,  as  it  were, 
stink  in  the  nostrils  of  those  aristocratic,  purse-proud  Chris- 
tians. Some  of  them  forget  the  hole  .of  the  ])it  of  poverty 
from  whence  they  were  digged ;  and  as  soon  as  they  reach 
the  mount  of  comparative  wealth  look  down  upon  all  below 
them,  and  seem  to  have  begotten  a  kind  of  holy  scorn  for  their 
still  struggling  fellow-creatures.  Very  different  is  the  truly 
well-bred  Christian  man  or  woman.  Always  in  affluence, 
.  22 


254 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


always  blessed  with  the  bounties  of  heaven  and  the  smiles 
of  a  good  Providence,  their  hearts,  if  properly  exercised 
by  the  love  of  God,  run  out  to  all  their  fellow-creatures, 
and  both  hands  and  hearts  are  open  to  dispense  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Lord.  But  the  others  are  far  otherwise.  They 
seem  to  have  no  bowels  of  compassion,  and  say,  "  Go  thy 
way;  take  care  of  thyself;  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of 
your  ways."  O  ye  Mammon-loving,  God-forgetting  daughters 
of  Zion.  What  will  ye  do  when  God  shall  call  you  to  give 
an  account  of  your  stewardship?  Ye  have  not  made  to 
yourselves  friends  of  the  Mammon  of  unrighteousness. 
How  can  ye  be  received  into  everlasting  habitations  ? 

Now  after  Smith  came  back  from  his  runaway  trip,  it  was 
of  course  known  among  the  negroes.  It  reached  Jerome 
Smith's  ears,  and  Mrs.  Smith's  sister  heard  it.  The  oldest 
and  best  servant-woman,  who  belonged  to  Jerome  and  was 
a  doctress  in  the  families,  had  been  on  a  tour  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. On  returning,  she  called  at  Napoleon  Smith's 
house,  and  said  to  Mrs.  Smith, — 

"  Do,  pray.  Miss  Grace,  do  not  think  of  it.  Massa  Napo- 
leon ought  not  to  act  so ;  for  he  no  more  believes  such  a 
thing  than  I  do." 

And  this  poor,  honest  servant,  although  she  had  raised 
these  Smiths,  thought  there  never  were  two  such  women  on 
earth  as  Napoleon  and  Jerome  Smith's  wives.  And  we 
know  she  really  did  love  them  more  than  she  did  her  young 
masters. 

Mrs.  Smith's  sky  was  overcast  again.  Her  cheerfulness, 
her  vivacity,  and  life  seemed  to  be  gone.  She  thought  she 
saw  another  flood  before  her  very,  very  weary  spirit.  And 
how  to  stem  it  she  knew  not.  The  year  now  began  to  wane 
and  draw  to  a  close^  The  old  preacher  spoken  of  came  by 
on  his  way  home.  Mrs.  Smith  asked  him  if  he  thought  he 
saw  anything  amiss  in  her  at  the  camp-meeting  towards  the 
elder  in  question  ? 


AXD    HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


255 


"Xo,"  he  replied ;  "nor  did  I  ever  hear  any  one  hint  such 
a  thing.    Who  said  so  ? asked  he. 
''Mr.  Smith,'"  she  replied. 

The  good  man  ^Yas  astonished  beyond  measure.  And  well 
he  might  be.  This  horrible  thought  had  entered  no  busy, 
prying  brains  but  Smith's.  And  why  Mrs.  Smith  should  have 
let  the  thing  prey  upon  her  mind  from  August  to  yovember 
we  cannot  tell,  unless  we  had  been  in  her  place,  and  heard 
his  name  rung  out  to  her  in  a  most  tantalizing  manner,  as 
Smith  could  do,  '•'Send  for  liira,"  with  the  grimace  of  hell 
in  his  face.  Because,  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  when  he 
had  been  among  them  once  or  twice,  at  their  several  meet- 
ings, and  ]\Irs.  Smith  had  said  to  this  old  brother,  as  related 
in  this  work,  "  If  we  do  not  go  to  that  meeting,  Brother 

H  tell  the  elder  to  call  by  and  see  us  on  his  route  to 

his  next  appointment.''' 

The  old  brother  H  left  next  morning  and  went  into 

an  adjoining  county  and  State,  among  some  of  Mrs.  Smith's 
relations  on  her  mothers  side  ;  and  he,  with  them,  was  talk- 
ing over  these  things. 

"  Well,"  exclaimed  he,  "I  have  been  much  about  Xapo- 
leon  Smith's  family  in  both  States,  and  during  the  time  of 
both  his  wives,  and  he  never  did  make  his  children  and 
negroes  mind  him;  and  as  to  his  present  wife,  she  treated 
me  as  if  I  had  been  her  own  father." 

18 —  ushered  in  a  new  year,  one  most  fatal  to  ]SIrs.  Smith. 
Volcanoes  cannot  forever  blow  and  tume  without  bursting 
and  overflowing.  She  had  no  peace  long  at  a  time  ever 
afterwards. 

It  happened  that  there  was  a  contest  among  the  candi- 
dates of  the  annual  Conference  for  the  preachership  of  that 
circuit.  We  make  such  frequent  reference  to  preachers  and 
circuits  because  they  are  so  connected  with  this  story  that- 
to  leave  out  one  we  must  necessaiily  leave  out  the  other. 


256 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


One  of  the  aspirants  for  the  (to  them)  enviable  office 
was  an  old  local  preacher  residing  within  the  bounds  of 
that  circuit,  and  the  other  was  a  younger  man,  a  mere  li- 
centiate, who  never  had  the  appointment  of  a  circuit  before, 
and  who  was,  in  fact,  a  mere  jackanapes  of  a  preacher,  who 
reminded  us  of  the  messenger  that  begged  to  go  to  carry 
news  of  a  very  important  victory  achieved  in  battle,  but 
behold,  when  he  came,  he  had  no  tidings.  The  younger 
preacher  was  the  successful  aspirant.  This  threw  the  old 
preacher  into  a  diabolic  fit  of  spleen  or  malice.  The  same 
elder  was  sent  to  that  district  again  that  year.  Now  our 
old  brother  preacher  concluded  that  the  elder  had  done  the 
whole  business  in  sending  this  junior  to  that  circuit  in 
preference  to  his  reverent  self  He  had  forgotten  his  vows 
of  allegiance  and  o\)edience  under  which  he  had  mustered  his 
reverent  self,  and  very  naturally  (not  graciously)  levelled 
his  charges  against  this  devoted  elder. 

Now,  we  think  a  very  different  course  would  have  become 
this  old  local  brother ;  and  we  think,  if  we  had  been  in  his 
place,  we  would  have  called  patience  and  fortitude  into 
requisition,  tried  a  little  Christian  grace,  meekness,  and 
submission,  and  at  least  said  but  little  about  our  mortification 
and  chagrin,  and  very  little  about  our  more  fortunate  rival. 
But  not  so  with  our  reverend,  great,  divine  local  preacher.  His 
disappointment  and  vexation  were  so  great  that  he  could 
not  or  would  not  hold  in,  but  vented  all  kinds  of  spleen 
against  his  successful  brother  preacher.  He  would  come 
to  Smith's  and  sit  up  till  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  talk- 
ing with  Smith  in  his  and  Mrs.  Smith's  room,  to  her  great 
annoyance ;  for  just  such  as  he  could  wind  his  way  around 
Smith.  He  wanted  a  little  corn  out  of  Brother  Smith's 
crib ;  and  as  he  knew  from  some  source  or  other,  perhaps 
from  Smith  himself,  that  he  did  not  like  the  elder  in  ques- 
tion, he  would  cease  to  blame  the  Conference  as  much  as  he 


AND 


HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


257 


did  at  first,  together  with  the  other  preacher,  and  throw  his 
whole  force  of  argument,  in  Smith's  presence,  against  this 
elder.  To  the  discij^line  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
we  refer  our  readers,  to  know  the  truth  of  the  appointment 
of  preachers,  and  what  part  the -elders  of  their  respective 
districts  have  in  the  matter. 

One  night  especially  he  sat  up  very  late,  talking  after 
this  fashion.  Mrs.  Smith  was  compelled  to  sit  up  too,  as  it 
was  in  her  bedroom  they  held  their  holy  confab  ;  for  Smith, 
when  it  served  his  purpose  or  v^'him,  could  have  some  of 
these  old  fellows  in  her  room  seemingly  very  agreeably  to 
himself,  no  matter  whether  she  was  cheerful  about  it  or  not ; 
he  did  not  ask  her.  Y\"hat  would  one  think  of  such  a  man 
being  jealous  of  the  preachers  ?  Ah  I  it  was  not  these  old 
ugly  fellows  Smith  was  so  much  afraid  of ;  it  was  such  as 
preached  the  word  with  power,  and  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
coming  down  upon  the  people,  such  as  had  a  more  pleasing 
address,  more  intelligence,  better  educated,  and  such  as 
thought  it  beneath  their  holy  profession  to  speak  of  absent 
brethren,  and  defame.  These  were  the  ones  that  Smith 
despised,  because  he  thought  they  were  more  agreeable  to 
his  wife. 

But  that  night  this  old  preacher  went  on  relating  tale 
after  tale,  and  talking  depreciatingly  of  his  absent  brother 
preachers.  Although  he  told  a  dream  he  had  on  a  certain 
night  that  the  Saviour  told  him  that  at  the  judgment-day 
he  had  to  be  damned,  and  this  he  said  he  dreamed  three 
times  in  succession  in  one  night,  after  which,  he  said,  he 
slept  no  more  that  night.  He  said  he  told  the  Saviour, 
"  Xo,  he  would  not  be  damned."  "Yes,  but,"  the  Saviour 
said,  "  you  must ;  and  it  is  not  for  breaking  my  command- 
ments, but  for  not  preaching  my  word  aright."  "Take 
care,  old  man,"  thought  Mrs!  Smith,  "  how  you  act,  lest 
that  dream  come  to  pass  while  you  and  Smith  are  indulg- 
22*  R 


258 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


ing  in  a  dish  of  holy  slander  and  uncharitable  talk  about 
your  brethren,"  for  uncharitable  conversation  is  not  only 
unraethodistical,  but  altogether  unchristian. 

Not  very  long  after  this,  he  came  to  get  some  corn  of 
Brother  Smith.  Now  Smith  was  none  of  the  giving  sort ; 
^  but  as  the  old  man  had  no  money  to  pay  for  it,  Mrs.  Smith 
had  said  to  her  husband,  "If  I  were  you,  Mr.  Smith,  I 
would  give  him  two  or  three  barrels  of  corn."  For,  aside 
from  his  egotism  and  talk  about  his  brethren  behind  their 
backs,  Mrs.  Smith  liked  him  as  well  as  any  of  the  brethren, 
and  really  felt  a  sisterly  love  towards  him.  She  had  heard 
him  preach  some  few  sermons,  and  felt  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  attending  her  under  them.  He  was  a  perfect  gladiator 
in  controversy ;  but  these  were  not  the  sermons  she  liked 
most  of  his  preaching.  It  was  when  they  were  fullest  of 
love  and  joy,  and  good  tidings  to  all  people.  But  now  he 
was  down  upon  his  rival  brother  preacher's  bones  again, 
telling  Smith  great  tales  about  his  reproving  kis  son  for 
laughing  and  misbehaving  in  church ;  and  he  knew  if  his 
son  got  hold  of  the  preacher,  there  would  be  "  bad  times." 

Mrs.  Smith  could  endure  no  more.  She  never  could 
hear  one  person  speak  of  another  absent  one  without  vindi- 
cating, if  she  could,  the  absent. 

"  Brother  ,"  said  she  to  the  old  man,  "  I  do  not  be- 
lieve the  preacher  reproved  your  son  without  cause,  or  he 
thought,  at  least,  he  had  a  cause  to  do  so.  Your  strifes  and 
contentions  about  the  preacher,  which  you  have  not  been 
prudent  enough,  perhaps,  to  conceal  from  him,  are  enough 
to  engender  contempt  for  him,  and  thus,  perhaps,  he  set  at 
naught  this  man,  and  forgot  himself  in  the  church.  I  do 
not  know  that  this  was  the  case,  but  there  is  a  possibility 
that  it  might  be  so.  How  careful  should  we  be  how  we 
speak  of  others  before  our  children." 

This  kind  of  heroic  speaking  for  the  truth  and  right  put 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWJXE. 


259 


a  stop  to  it  for  the  time,  and  she  tlien  fully  resolved  that 
no  other  preacher,  or  any  one  else,  should  speak  against  the 

absent  in  her  presence  ^viihout  being  faithiully  told  of  it 
hy  her. 

One  of  these  old  croakers  said  tliar  the  great  and  good 
Dr.  Levick  Pierce  '^vas  ruined  by  pride.  They  were  in  the 
hall  with  Smith  again,  speaking  these  words;  she  was  in  her 
room,  in  full  hearing,  reposing  on  a  low  couch,  for  that  day 
she  had  been  so  indisposed  she  had  not  attended  their  little 
log  church  close  by,  neither  had  been  at  the  dinner-table 
with  these  poor,  weak,  jealotis,  envious  brethren.  But 
when  she  heard  that  word,  Dr.  Pi-:-rce  ruined  by  pride,'^ 
she  rose  hastily  up,  and  repeated,  "  Dr.  Pierce  ruined  by 
pride  ?  Xo,  sir,  you  are  mistaken.  AV-  .uld  to  heaven  all  min- 
isters were  ruined  by  pride  as  Dr.  Pierce  is.  I  Lave  known 
him  from  my  youth  up,  and  a  more  humble  man  I  never 
knew." 

These  words  came  like  a  bomb-shell  among  the  conclave 
of  slander-mongers,  and  no  more  did  we  hear  of  it.  But 
did  they  not  grind  their  teeth  for  revenge  ?  We  guess  one 
did,  and  that  was  Smith.  Xever  mind,  he  will  pay  her  for 
that  some  of  these  days. 

Well,  if  there  had  been  blows  threatened  then,  Mrs. 
Smith  could  not  have  held  her  tongue.  That  was  one  and 
the  same  as  if  they  had  spoken  against  her  dear  mother  or 
one  of  her  sisters,  whom  she  loved  so  dearly  and  devotedly. 
And  no  minister  on  this  broad  earth  was  ever  held  in  such 
holy  veneration  as  this  man  of  God  ^vas  by  Mrs.  Smith. 

But  this  year  was  an  inauspicious  one  in  every  way. 
Evil  seemed  to  be  afloat  on  every  hand.  Jerome  Smith 
made  a  trip  to  the  adjoining  State  in  company  with  his 
eldest  son,  who  always  reminded  us  of  the  vScriptures  which 
say,  "  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperate- 
ly wicked ;  who  can  know  it  ? When  he  returned,  he 


260 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEIT, 


disgorged  himself  of  tlie  offensive  stuff  given  to  him  by  his 
son  on  his  innocent  wife  and  her  relations  again,  chiefly 
her  mother,  who  never  had  an  enemy  in  her  life  that  we 
know  of,  unless  they  were  now  such.  It  seems,  however, 
that  he  had  been  telling  tales  to  his  father  about  his  wife's 
mother  with  regard  to  his  younger  children.  So  he  com- 
menced on  her  to  his  wife,  cursing  and  abusing  her,  and 
saying  if  she  came  there  again  he  would  throw  her  over  the 
fence  and  break  her  back.  Thi^'{)oor  innocent  old  lady  was 
then  at  a  distant  town,  having  gone  with  her  husband  there 
to  stay  some  time.  Jerome  cursed  them  all,  calling  them 
damned  apostates.  Heigh-ho,  Mr.  Smith  !  at  it  again  ? 
What  does  that  mean  ?  Apostate ;  what  is  it  ?  Why,  we 
believe  you  are  one  yourself,  as  you  are  the  chief  among 
all  the  rest  who  left  your  religion,  if  you  had  any,  on  the 
other  side  the  river,  when  you  crossed  to  come  to  this  State. 
Now  these  poor  sheep,  except  the  father  of  these  two  dear 
young  women  who  married  you  and  your  brother  Napo- 
leon, have  endeavored  to  keep  their  faith,  notwithstanding 
all  the  persecution  gotten  up  by  you  and  your  brother. 
So  the  epithet  apostate  seems  to  suit  you  and  him  better 
than  any  other.  Apostatized,  indeed !  who  had  anything  to 
apostatize  from  ? 

Mrs.  Napoleon  Smith  heard  this  dreadful  news  very 
soon,  for  her  dear  sister  wrote  it  in  a  letter,  and  sent  it  by  the 
same  good  old  family  servant  spoken  of  before.  Her  letter 
commenced  very  emphatic,  saying,  "  Oh,  that  I  were  now  in 
my  grave !  "  Poor  Mrs.  N.  Smith  thought  this  was  not  bearing 
her  troubles  as  well  as  she  had  done,  for  she  had  ever  as 
much  as  possible  kept  her  troubles  within  her  own  breast. 
However,  she  thought  it  was  high  time  for  her  to  resent 
some  things,  and  some  of  Jerome  Smith's  doings ;  and  so 
she  resolved,  not  by  talking,  either,  but  by  silence.  So  the 
next  time  she  saw  Jerome  Smith,  she  did  not  look  at  him 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


261 


nor  towards  him.  Whether  this  course  was  best  or  not,  we 
cannot,  at  this  late  day,  pretend  to  decide.  Certainly  she 
had  a  right  to  refrain  from  speech  to  those  who  had  outraged 
every  feeling  of  humanity  and  brutally  cursed  her  mother, 
if  she  chose  to  do  so.  Speech  had  done  no  good  ;  she  would 
try  what  virtue  there  was  in  silence.  And  although  they 
were  often  backbiting,  they  dared  not  say  much  to  Mrs. 
Smith's  face,  because  she  attacked  none  of  them,  asked  them 
no  questions,  and  gave  no  answers  ;  yet  when  anything,  in 
her  estimation,  got  beyond  endurance,  she  would  show  it  by 
silence.  And  although  they  pretended  to  despise  her ;  yet 
it  would  make  them  *mad  almost  enough  to  kill  her  when 
thus  treated  with  silence  by  her.  Strange  inconsistency; 
if  they  cared  for  her  no  more  than  they  pretended,  why  care 
for  her  speaking  or  not  speaking  ?  Everything  seemed  to 
be  tending  to  a  crisis  now ;  the  devil  was  impatient  to  have 
a  scene.  Mrs.  Smith's  patience  was  severely  and  often  put 
to  the  utmost  test.  And  their  malice  was  waxing  and  boil- 
ing hot,  hotter,  and  hottest. 

Jerome  Smith  was  hauling  some  wheat  to  his  brother's  to 
be  threshed.  There  was  a  two  days'  meeting  at  that  time 
at  their  log-cabin  church.  Not  a  quarterly  meeting  at 
which  the  elders  attend.  The  one  in  question  never  did 
come  again  into  that  settlement.  The  swine4overs  had,  if 
not  verbally,  mentally  prayed  him  to  depart  out  of  their 
coasts.  They  loved  their  hogs,  their  corn,  wheat,  and  cotton, 
anything  of  this  world,  better  than  a  Christlike  man,  who 
would  tell  them  of  the  way  of  life,  and  cast  out  devils  by 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 

Mrs.  Smith  attended  church  that  day  in  company  with 
her  little  children.  Smith  did  not  attend  on  that  day.  The 
old  talking  brother  local  preacher  went  home  with  Mrs.  Smith 
and  the  children  to  dinner.  Now,  after  dinner.  Smith  and 
the  old  man  repaired  to  the  sitting-room,  to  have  another 


262 


BEEAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


dish  of  scandal  over  their  brother  preacher  again.  Mrs. 
Smith  did  not  know  that  the  elder  had  been  in  discussion 
by  them  ;  but  we  suppose  he  had  by  what  followed  after. 
When  she  went  in,  they  had  the  same  circuit  preacher  on 
the  carpet  again  about  his  reproving  his  son.  That  seemed 
to  be  a  great  thorn  in  his  flesh  —  that  his  son  should  have 
been  reproved  by  one  he  so  cordially  hated.  Mrs.  Smith 
again  told  the  old  gentleman  that  she  surely  thought  that 
the  brother  in  question  thought  his  son  misbehaved,  else  he 
would  not  have  reproved  him.  There  was  nothing  said  in 
reply  by  either  of  them. 

J erome  Smith  coming  at  that  instant  with  a  load  of  wheat, 
Napoleon  Smith  said  to  the  old  preacher,  "  Sit  here,  and 
talk  with  Grace,  while  I  go  to  the  gin-house,"  not  choosing 
to  be  jealous  when  it  suited  his  purpose  not  to  be.  Now 
what  Jerome  and  he  talked  of  at  the  gin-house,  perhaps, 
never  will  be  known  till  the  day  of  judgment ;  but  it  was 
thought  that  they  had  some  mischievous  conversation. 
When  Jerome  returned  on  his  way,  he  called  to  the  old 
preacher  to  go  home  with  him ;  and  he  was  so  delighted  be- 
cause he  showed  such  attention  to  him,  that  he  hardly  knew 
what  to  do  with  himself. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  "  I  must  go  with  him.  I  used  to  know 
Jerome,  and  he  is  a  good  fellow."  Although  Jerome,  at 
that  time,  cared  no  more  for  him  than  he  did  for  any  other 
old  Methodist  dog,  as  he  seemed  now  to  consider  all  as  such 
pretty  much. 

Mrs.  Smith  had  waited  supper  for  her  husband,  and  while 
waiting  had  walked  out  into  her  garden.  This  was  the  last 
time  she  ever  beheld  those  beautiful  flowers  in  that  garden 
without  feelings  such  as  she  never  experienced  before. 

Smith  came  into  the  dining-room,  sat  down,  and  com- 
menced eating.  His  wife  came  in  and  sat  down  beside  him. 
He  said  to  her,  "  I  do  not  feel  right  without  you  at  the  table." 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


263 


"  Oh,"  said  slie,  "  you  do  not  care  for  me."  In  the  right 
way,  she  meant ;  for  had  he  not  been  talking  mischievously 
of  her  just  a  moment  ago  at  the  giri-house  with  his  brother? 

That  night  Mrs.  Smith  was  very  weary  and  fatigued,  and 
quite  unwell,  having  considerable  pain  in  consequence  of  her 
situation.  She  had  become  mceinte  of  her  second  daughter, 
but  was  unconscious  of  the  fact,  but  now  began  to  suspect 
such  a  thing  from  her  peculiar  sensations ;  for  only  the  day 
before,  Mrs.  Jerome  Smith,  her  sister,  being  to  see  her,  she 
was  scarcely  able  to  be  up  all  the  day,  although  she  attended 
to  her  domestic  duty  of  house-cleaning,  etc.  And  now,  hav- 
ing gone  to  church,  and  been  up  all  the  day  long  in  the 
summer,  in  her  situation  it  is  no  wonder  that  she  felt  ex- 
haustion. 

Smith  began  in  his  usual  way  of  being  overly  fond  and 
caressing,  and  l3ecause  she  was  not  as  lively,  nor  as  able,  nor 
willing  under  the  circumstances  as  he  wished,  —  as  if  a  wife 
had  no  rights,  but  is  only  man's  slave,  made  to  be  the  in- 
strument of  his  pleasure  or  take  his  abuse,  as  she  pleased, 
—  he  flew  into  a  violent  passion,  and  said,  "  You  insulted  old 
man  ,  to-day." 

This  was  strange  to  her,  for  she  knew  not  that  there  was 
any  offence  taken.  She  knew  there  appeared  to  be  none 
towards  her  by  the  old  man ;  and  this  was  what  he  and  his 
dear  brother  Jerome  were  talking  about  at  the  gin-house. 
For  Napoleon  Smith  had  not  been  with  the  old  man  after 
that,  because  he  went  home  with  Jerome.  This  was  his 
kind  of  love,  you  see.  ,  She  replied, — 

"I  am  not  afraid  to  speak  to  any  person,  Mr.  Smith, 
about  the  heinous  offence  of  evil-speaking  or  backbiting." 

"  You  are  not  ashamed,"  said  he,  in  the  most  insulting, 
damnable  way  a  wicked,  lying  man  or  demon  could  ever 
frame  -his  unruly  member  tlie  tongue  to  say,  and  jumped 
up  out  of  the  bed.    She  got  up  too,  went  to  the  door,  as  was 


264 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


her  habit  to  do  on  such  occasions,  and  looked  out  upon  the 
stars  of  heaven,  having  put  on  her  clothes,  and  sat  on  the 
door-sill,  gazing  up  into  the  heavens  as  far  as  the  naked 
eye  could  penetrate.  He  went  back  to  bed,  and  so  did  she, 
and  put  her  hand  gently  on  his  face,  and  said, — 

"  Mr.  Smith,  you  deserve  to  be  slapped  for  talking  so  to 
me.  What  have  I  done  that  you  should  be  eternally  — 
every  time  anything  goes  a  little  adverse  to  your  wishes  or 
passions,  whether  they  are  just  or  not  —  throwing  up  that 
elder  to  me  as  you  formerly  did  Evans  ?  for  you  know  we 
are  all  innocent ;  you  know  it  as  well  as  you  know  you  are 
a  man." 

He  replied  not,  but  tried  to  get  her  to  yield  to  his  caresses 
again.  The  thing  was  impossible  without  force ;  who  could 
feel  any  conjugal  affection,  and  give  conjugal  embraces, 
under  such  circumstances  ?  v/ho,  but  a  very  demon,  would 
have  expected  it  ?  Could  any  refined  woman  under  heaven 
have  felt  a  disposition  for  connubial  love  under  such  a  blast 
from  perdition  ?  We  think  not ;  and  for  our  part  we  could 
or  would  as  soon  hug  a  grizzly  bear  or  the  deadly  serpent ; 
one  is  no  worse  than  the  other  in  the  fatal  results,  unless  it 
be  that  the  human  bear  or  serpent  is  the  worst.  You  think 
this  is  strong  language  ;  you  will  see  the  truth  of  it  by  and 
by.  And  now  she  thought  within  herself,  "  It  is  my  priv- 
ilege not  to  murder  myself  for  him  every  time,  no  matter 
what  is  my  situation  or  condition.  I  cannot,  under  the 
present  course  of  conduct,  while  he  is  so  continually  lyingly 
accusing  me  of  others,  I  cannot  yield  to  him  forever  at 
all  times,  no  matter  what  pains  or  aches  I  may  have,  with- 
out doing  violence  to  my  nature,  as  well  as  great  injury  to 
my  weak  body.  I  cannot,  I  will  not  this  time,  and  he  never 
amending  his  ways  towards  me." 

Mount  Etna  and  Vesuvius,  what  are  thy  fires  to  his 
•wrath  ?    He  flew  out  of  the  bed  again  like  a  mad  maniac 


AKD   HUSKS  OF  SWIKE. 


265 


wlio  liad  no  eartbly  control  over  himself,  and  said, "  If  that 
rascal  ever  comes  here  again,  I  '11  shoot  him  down."  This  he 
had  said  many  times  before. 

She  replied,  "  I  do  not  suppose  he  will  ever  come  here 
again,  sir  ;  that  is  the  reason  I  told  him  what  you  pretend 
to  think  of  me  and  him,  so  that  he  might  never  trouble  you 
again  w4th  his  presence."  And  now  his  rage  was  rampant 
and  wild  ;  he  knew  no  bounds.  He  never  knew  till  this 
moment  that  she  had  told  of  his  accursed  jealousy  which 
he  was  following  up  so  persistently ;  for  it  had  been  a  full 
year  now  since  the  running  away  scrape  of  going  all  the  way 
down  to  the  gin-house  took  place,  and  he,  because  she  had 
kept  all  these  things  within  her  own  breast,  thought  she 
would  do  it  forever.  He  boiled ;  he  could  hold  in  no  longer. 
She  had  not  put  on  her  clothes  as  before  ;  she  sat  down 
before  the  hearth,  on  which  there  was  a  light  burning.  He 
sat  there  too,  smoking  his  pipe  and  abusing  her  all  the  time, 
and  said,  "  You  sent  for  him,"  alluding  to  the  time  before 
spoken  of,  the  year  before.  This  he  had  been  ringing  in  her 
ears  all  this  time ;  whenever  he  got  angry,  and  wanted  to 
wound  her,  he  would  say,  "  You  sent  for  him."  This  was 
the  way  to  make  love,  was  it  not  ?  Young  ladies,  how  would 
you  like  the  process  practised  on  yourselves.  Look  at  this 
poor  creature  sitting  there  now  under  the  peltings  of  his 
abusive  tongue !  a  very  martyr.  Was  not  this  a  fix  for  a 
tender-hearted,  sensitive,  nice.  Christian  woman  to  be  in  ? 
And  bearing  it  with  patience,  fortitude,  silence,  meekness, 
seemed  only  to  make  the  tyrant  gather  more  strength  with 
which  to  torture  his  victim. 

She  replied,  "Mr.  Smith,  I  did  not  send  for  him  in  the 

way  you  speak  of,  but  simply  said  to  old  Brother  H  to 

tell  him  to  call  and  see  us  on  his  way  to  his  next  appoint- 
ment, which  you  heard  me  say.  I  did  not  say  it  secretly ; 
and  since  that  you  have  wrested  my  words,  as  the  Jews  did 
23 


266 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


our  Saviour's  to  their  own  condemnation,  fifty  times,  I  sup- 
pose, or  more."  Our  blessed  Saviour  said,  (alluding  to  His 
body,)  "  Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  build 
it  again."  They  applied  it  to  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  and 
made  Him  out  a  blasphemer  and  a  liar,  when  they  under- 
stood not  His  words,  or  pretended  not  to  understand.  "  You 
understood  me  well.  You  know  that  I  did  not  say  those 
words  in  the  sense  that  you,  in  your  boiling,  heated  passions, 
inflamed  by  the  devil  and  sin  and  the  most  ungovernable 
lust — legalized  lust,  you  think — pretend  to  think,  and  attach 
a  meaning  to  them  as  far  from  the  truth  as  heaven  is  from  j 
perdition.  You  had  treated  the  man  politely,  and  even 
brotherly,  many  thought,  and  he  had  no  thought  of  this  viper 
of  suspicion  lurking  in  your  bosom  until  the  day  I  told  him 
of  it,  which  has  been  a  year  ago  ;  and  it  was  long  before  that 

that  I  said  the  word  to  old  Brother  H  ,  just  as  I  would 

have  done  to  any  other  minister  of  the  gospel.  He  had  a 
long,  rough  ride  before  him,  and  why  not  stop  at  your  house 
and  rest  as  well  as  at  any  other  Methodist's  house  in  the 
way  ?  You  claim  to  be  a  Methodist,  though  you  do  not 
care  to  join  the  church  since  you  left  the  old  State.  So 
you  are  very  much  mistaken,  and  you  know  it,  when  you  are 
so  often  repeating  those  tantalizing  words  that  I  sent  for 
him  in  the  way  you  insinuate." 

"  You  tell  lies  as  fast  as  a  dog  can  trot,"  said  he,  quoting 
an  expression  used  by  his  eldest  son's  wife  in  reference  to 
his  children.  Now  he  transferred  it  to  his  wife  in  this 
dreadful  accusation.  Young  ladies,  this  is  no  picture  of  the 
imagination,  but  a  bona  fide  relation  of  facts. 

Mrs.  Smith  very  calmly,  mildly,  dispassionately,  and 
truthfully  replied  to  him,  — 

"  You  judge  me  by  yourself  and  your  children." 

Mount  Etna  and  Vesuvius  again!  See  the  diabolical 
tyranny  and  injustice  of  the  man!    She  must  be  charged 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


267 


witli  lying  in  the  most  dastardly  manner,  for  tie  had  her  in 
liis  power  while  under  his  roof  a5  his  lawful  wife,  entitled 
ro  protection  from  him ;  but  •<lie  must  not  tell  him  of  the 
atrocious  lies  he  was  forever  telling  on  her,  or  saying  them 
to  her,  when  the  fits  were  on  him. 

Instantly  he  jumped  up.  doubled  up  his  fists  and  pounded 
awav  on  her  jaws  as  hard  as  he  could,  almost  enough  to 
dislocate  them  :  choked  her,  and  looked  behind  the  door ; 
got  the  butt  end  of  an  old  whip  for  the  carriage,  the  lower 
part  beincr  broken  ofi\  and  beat  her  with  it  across  the  shoul- 
ders and  arms  nine  or  ten  licks :  such  as  left  the  bruises, 
great  red  and  purple  stripes,  which  did  not  wear  ofl'  for 
more  than  two  weeks. 

wonder  she  had  not  fled  from  him  after  the  fisting 
spell,  before  he  came  with  the  whip  ;  but  she  seemed  to  be 
completely  paralyzed  with  astonishment,  and  sat  mute, 
silent,  patient,  and  dumb  as  a  lamb  before  her  slaughterers. 

2sor  do  we  know  if  she  could  have  escaped  him  if  she 
could  have  made  the  efibrt.  Amazement  and  astonishment 
both  seized  her,  so  that  she  seemed  to  be  riveted  to  the 
spot,  not  moving  at  all,  nor  said  a  word  to  him  all  the 
time.  Xot  even  a  groan,  nor  a  cry,  but  only,  "  Sir,  I  wish 
you  to  kill  me."  For  now  she  knew  she  might  as  well  be 
dead,  and  better,  too,  since  he  had  violated  all  laws,  both 
sacred  and  human,  and  done  this  dreadful  deed.  She  had 
seen  a  brutal  grandfather  strike  down  a  sainted  grandmother, 
when  a  petted  grandchild ;  she  had  seen  her  own  father 
cruelly  beat  a  good  mother,  and  as  noble  a  woman  as  was 
in  the  world  ;  and  she  had  vowed,  at  a  very  tender  age,  that 
if  ever  she  were  married,  she  would  do  all  that  a  good  wife 
could  do.  She  would  never  deserve  beating  from  a  husband  ; 
and  if  ever  he  transcended  the  bounds  of  civilization  and 
humanity  so  much  as  to  strike  and  abuse  her  with  his  hands 
or  whips,  she  would  never  live  with  him  again!    She  was 


268 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


not  old  enougli  then,  nor  liad  knowledge  of  the  ways  of  true 
noble  men,  the  workmanship  of  God's  own  hand,  to  know 
that  one  of  these  never  strike  a  woman  —  but  especially  one 
called  wife,  who  is  as  the  one  ewe  lamb  to  every  true  hus- 
band, and  that  he  would  as  soon  strike  out  his  eyes  as 
the  wife  of  his  bosom !  Vf  e  do  verily  believe  there  are  men  in 
this  world,  men  whom  God  our  heavenly  Father  hath  made, 
men  whom  the  devil  has  had  no  chance  to  make  over  again 
to  his  own  liking,  that  would  suifer  death  before  they 
would  impose  on  a  suffering,  confiding  woman,  who  had 
forsaken  all  the  world,  father,  mother,  brother,  and  sister, 
to  nestle  under  his  strong  wings  for  protection,  and  near  his 
noble  heart  for  love,  before  he  would  even  think  of  raising 
his  hand  against  this  tender  one.  Oh,  there  are  such  in  our 
sin-cursed  world  yet ;  and  we  do  thank  the  Lord  that  there 
are,  and  humbly  hope  that  the  number  will  be  vastly  in- 
creased, and  let  the  brutes  and  savages  that  beat  their  wives 
go  to  the  wall  or  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  for  what  we  care. 
What !  beat  a  woman  called  a  wife  ?  Language  fails  us ! 
Our  vocabulary  of  words  to  apply  to  them  is  exhausted. 
Neither  do  we  believe  in  railiog  accusations,  but  say,  "  the 
Lord  rebuke  you,  Satan !"  or,  "  the  Lord  rebuke  you, 
Satans ;"  as  we  fear  ye  are  yet  in  the  plurality.  If  there  was 
but  one  wife-beater,  we  could  soon  chase  him  out  of  creation, 
or  awe  him  out  of  countenance  by  better  company,  so  that 
he  would  never  more  dare  to  lift  up  his  craven  head  among 
his  fellows,  knowing  that  none  gave  him  favor. 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWIiTE. 


269 


CHAPTEK  Xiy. 

MRS.  smith's  EXEMIE3  REJOICE. 

^jVj'OW  the  fatal  work  was  dooe  !  that  kind  of  work  which 
1  Mrs.  Smith  had  said  all  her  days  (which  had  strength- 
ened with  her  strength,  and  grown  with  her  growth,)  would 
separate  her  from  a  husband.  What  must  she  do  ?  Must  she 
keep  her  word  ?  iSTow  while  he  was  replacing  the  whip  behind 
the  door,  she  asked  herself  had  he  forgotten  her  yow  ?  Why 
did  he  not  try  to  detain  her  ?  for  she  rose  from  her  seat  very 
deliberately,  where  she  had  been  all  this  time  (statue  like) 
sitting,  barefoot  and  in  her  night-gown,  and  went  to  the 
front  door.  "  Shall  I  go  ? "  said  she  to  her  own  soul.  "  The 
die  is  cast ;  yes,"  she  replied  again  to  herself,  the  die  is 
cast.  I  can  lie  down  vrith  him  no  more."  And  with  that 
thought  she  ran  across  a  little  orchard  of  different  kinds  of 
fruit-trees,  which  she  had  planted  between  their  house-yard 
and  a  fence  that  ran  between  the  orchard  and  a  branch  of 
water  on  the  west  side  of  the  house.  As  she  fled  through 
this  small  orchard  and  favorite  spot,  she  met  the  veritable 
bad  house-girl ;  and  although  as  bad  as  sin  could  make  her, 
yet  she  was  compelled  to  feel  distress  when  she  saw  this 
mistress  in  trouble,  for  she  had  been  not  only  a  mistress  but 
as  a  mother  to  her. 

"  What  is  the  matter.  Miss  Grace  ? "  said  she. 
"  There  is  a  great  deal  the  matter  with  me,"  said  Mrs. 
Smith,  and  on  she  went,  bending  her  way  to  their  nearest 
neighbor,  Mr.  W  H  . 

•  As  she  passed  the  branch,  a  peculiar  kind  of  croaking 
sound  among  some  of  the  water  animals  saluted  her  ears, 
the  reverberation  of  which  seemed  to  penetrate  her  heart 
and  ears  both  for  many,  many  long  days  after,    ^s^or  did 
23* 


270 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN,' 


she  ever  pass  that  place  again  without  such  sensations  as 
are  more  easHy  felt  than  described.  Sometimes,  when  near 
the  little  stream,  a  halo  of  sacred  sorrow  would  seem  to 
glow  in  her  heart,  and  those  words  of  a  hymn,  in  reference 
to  our  Saviour's  betrayal,  would  come  to  her  mind,  "  That 
doleful  night  in  which  our  Saviour  was  betrayed,"  etc.  And 
truly  the  illusion  was  not  so  great.  Was  she  not  betrayed  ? 
Was  she  not  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  sinners  f 

Her  feet  were  badly  cut  and  bruised  by  the  time  she 
reached  the  place  to  which  she  bent  her  weary  steps.  She 
called  gently  to  the  lady  of  the  house,  whose  husband  was 

absent.    Mrs.  H  said  she  knew  there  was  distress  in 

her  voice  as  soon  as  she  heard  it,  and  very  sympathetically 
condoled  with  Mrs.  Smith  about  these  strange  things  that 
happened.  She  bound  up  and  anointed  her  lacerated  feet, 
examined  her  wounds,  and  said,  "  These  are  no  very  light 
stripes."    She  further  remarked  : 

".Mrs.  Smith,  I  have  always  thought  Mr.  Smith  thought 
a  great  deal  of  you." 

Mrs.  Smith  then  told  her  how  he  had  treated  her  by 
violent  hands  besides  his  tongue,  and  she  thought  best  now 
never,  never  to  live  with  him  again ;  which,  of  course,  would 
be  the  best  for  her  now  that  confidence  was  destroyed  for- 
ever.   Mrs.  H  would  say : 

"  Mrs.  Smith,  you  bear  this  trouble  the  best  in  the  world," 
and  the  tears  would  stream  down  her  face.  Oh,  how  much 
she  did  need  some  one,  just  at  this  time,  to  advise  and  direct 
her  where  to  go  and  what  to  do.  Far  better  for  her  had  she 
been  left  to  herself  alone,  than  to  have  had  the  counsellors 
she  did  have.  She  had  tried  all  Smith's  household  for 
eight  long  years,  and  this  was  the  result,  the  reward  of  her 
self-sacrince  and  immolation.  And  she  felt  no  disposition 
to  return  to  that  place  of  torment,  as  it  had  been,  with  but 
few  intervals,  all  the  time  to  her.    How  much,  she  only 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWIXE. 


271 


knew,  and  He  wlio  sees  and  notices  the  fall  of  a  sparrow, 
and  puts  our  tears  in  his  bottles. 

After  Smith's  dreadful  abuse  of  his  wife,  as  soon  as  he 
missed  her,  he  searched  everywhere  about  his  premises  for 
her.  But  she  was  not  to  be  found.  The  next  morniDg, 
suspecting,  we  suppose,  whither  she  had  gone,  he  sent  over 
to  Mr.  H  's  to  learn  if  she  was  there. 

This  holy  Sabbath  morning's  light  and  sun  dawned  upon 
Mrs.  Smith  sick  in  bed.  And  although  as  brave  as  any 
woman  that  ever  lived,  yet  such  had  been  the  shock  which 
came  over  her  from  Smith's  demoniacal  looks  and  conduct 
towards  her  while  using  violence  on  her  body,  that  she  was 
frightened  at  the  very  sound  or  thought  of  him,  and  would 
as  soon  have  seen  a  bear  or  the  devil  as  to  have  seen  him. 

The  old  talking  preacher  returned  from  Jerome's  to 
IS'apoleon  Smith's  again  on  the  way  to  church.  In  ot  knowing 
what  had  happened,  he  asked  Smith  if  he  was  going  to 
church,  and  if  Sister  Smith  was  going. 

Smith  replied,  "  She  is  not  here  ;  that  she  had  gone  ofi'  the 
night  before."  And  then  came  another  one  of  their  holy 
conversations.  How  the  old  man  felt  we  cannot  tell,  but 
we  fear  there  was  something  like  a  satanic  joy  in  his  old 
breast;  because  Mrs.  Smith  would  not  join  him  in  evil 
speaking  of  his  absent  brethren,  or  such  as  he  called 
brethren,  while  stabbing  them  under-  the  fifth  rib.  And 
as  to  Smith,  we  almost  wonder  the  devil  had  not  taken  him 
alive,  soul  and  body,  when  he  knew  he  was  sitting  there 
and  telling  such  awful  lies  to  this  old  man,  and  imposing 
on  his  ignorance,  and  pandering  to  his  love  of  slander,  with 
no  one  to  contradict  him ;  for  Smith  had  all  the  advantage 
this  way.  He  could  tell  this  old  brother  devil  as  many  lies 
as  he  pleased ;  and,  as  Mrs.  Smith  never  talked  of  her  family 
matters,  any  one  envious  of  her,  and  wishing  to  do  her  an 
injury,  could  believe  and  report  what  he  pleased  for  the 


272 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


truth,  and  those  might  believe  it  who  chose,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  Saviour  of  men,  "  Say,  while  we  slept,  his  disciples 
came  and  stole  him  away,  and  if  this  comes  to  the  gov- 
ernor's ears,  we  will  persuade  him,  and  secure  you."  This 
coming  from  Mr.  Smith,  the  richest  man  in  all  the  county, 
who  will  not  believe  it? 

Many  things  he  distorted,  besides  telling  the  old  slander 
caterer  absolute  falsehoods.  As  a  drowning  man  will  catch 
at  a  straw,  so  this  already  condemned  sinner,  condemned 
in  his  own  mind,  did.  He  told  the  old  tale-bearer  that 
"  she,"  meaning  Mrs.  Smith,  "  struck  him  first."  Now  this 
was  a  worse  lie,  if  possible,  than  Ananias  and  Sapphira 
told.  Mrs.  Smith  never  had  in  all  her  life  the  least  dis- 
position to  strike  a  husband.  Her  principles  were  so  ele- 
vated, that  all  bickering  and  arguing  in  the  wedded  life  was 
perfectly  horrible  to  her.  Hence  her  great  taciturnity  about 
family  matters,  and  she  could  not  have  been  excited  to  such 
an  act  as  that  by  any  or  all  the  provocation  the  devil  and  all 
his  angels  could  have  charged  on  her.  She  would  have  fled, 
however,  as  she  often  did  ;  got  her  bonnet  and  run  off  to  the 
garden,  or  some  other  sacred  spot  to  w^hich  she  oft  resorted, 
to  meet  with  God,  and  leave  the  blast  and  tempest  behind. 
Now  this  tale  was  as  false  or  falser  than  when  Satan  said 
to  Eve,  "Thou  shalt  not  surely  die,  but  be  as  gods,  knowing 
good  and  evil."  Making  God  a  liar,  for  He  had  said,  "  In 
the  day  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  surely  die." 

Mrs.  Smith  had  said,  "  Mr.  Smith,  you  ought  to  be  slapped 
for  talking  to  me  in  that  manner,  when  you  know  you  do  not 
believe  it  yourself."  Words  he  said  to  her  in  a  perfect 
hurricane  of  passion  and  satanic  rage,  such  words  as  could 
never  be  written  in  a  book,  and  such  as  were  a  scandal  for 
even  a  decent  negro  to  have  said, — who  are  more  given  to 
vulgarity  than  any  other  race  we  ever  knew,  —  much  less  a 
man  who  called  himself  a  gentleman,  and  who  had  pro- 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


273 


fessed  the  religion  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus.  And  what 
else  he  said  to  the  old  j)reacher  perhaps  will  never  be  known 
until  the  day  when  men  shall  be  rewarded  as  their  works 
shall  be.  But  from  the  way  the  old  scandal-monger  spoke 
of  the  elder,  and  the  way  the  old  mistaken  hypocrite  carried 
himself  towards  this  persecuted  saint,  we  may  very  charitably 
suppose  he  made  a  good  tale  for  himself,  and  said  things 
that  were  detrimental  to  both  Mrs.  Smith  and  the  preacher. 
Five  or  six  months  after  he  was  heard  to  say  at  their  next 
camp-meeting,  by  which  time  Smith,  from  the  power  of  his 
own  conscience,  had  become  so  ashamed  of  his  conduct, 
when  left  to  himself,  that  he  quailed  and  turned  pale  if  he 
came  near  those  who  kncAV  the  deed  he  had  done.  But 
old  slander  tales^'  was  heard  to  say,  "He  wished  to  get 
Jerome  Smith  to  go  to  the  annual  Conference  and  inform 
against  this  elder.  Not  hut  what  he  thought  Sister  Smith 
was  as  prudent  and  virtuous  as  any  lady,  but  it  did  not  look 
well  in  the  preacher.'' 

What  did  not  look  well,  old  brother  Ahab  ?  You  had 
been  about  Napoleon  Smith's  as  much  as  this  elder  ever 
had,  or  more ;  had  sat  up  talking  until  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning  in  her  bed-room.  Smith  being  present ;  and  this 
was  more  than  the  brother  elder  ever  had  done.  What  had 
he  done?  Ah  !  don't  you  see?  He  had  not  given  him  the 
appointment  of  that  circuit  that  year,  and  hence  he  pursues 
him  with  satanic  malice.  He  was  in  the  priest's  office,  and 
he  wanted  "  to  eat  a  piece  of  bread." 

But,  somehow,  wicked  as  Jerome  Smith  might  be,  and  as 
much  as  he  had  deserted  the  church  of  God,  to  which  he 
had  belonged  over  the  river,  in  the  good  old  State,  and  no 
matter  how  much  he  now  might  hate  the  people  of  God, 
and  his  sister-in-law  in  particular,  because  he  could  not 
break  her  spirit,  yet  he  had  a  little  too  much  honor  to  sell 
or  lend  himself  to  this  dirty  work,  this  foul  play.    His  own 

S 


274 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


wife  was  the  sister  of  his  brother's  wife,  and  what  credit 
would  he  gain  ?  He  could  gain  none,  unless  he  could  es- 
tablish, beyond  a  doubt,  that  his  sister-in-law  was  not  a 
correct  woman ;  and  that  he  knew  he  could  not  do,  for  he 
himself  did  not  believe  his  brother,  but  thought  him,  when 
he  came  to  himself  and  reasoned  calmly  and  dispassionately, 
an  insane  fool. 

Already  there  was  much  ado  about  this  unjust  act,  and  if 
it  should  come  to  the  bar  or  pulpit,  there  would  be  a  much 
greater  stir.  As  it  was,  it  raised  the  greatest  fuss  in  earth 
and  hell  that  we  ever  knew  in  these  days,  and  still  will  be 
a  greater  before  it  is  decided.  Hell  and  earth  strove  hard 
for  the  mastery;  but  as  heaven  and  heaven's  king  are 
stronger  than  them  all,  victory  will  be  on  that  side,  — the 
right  side,  the  fair  side.  What !  are  there  not  enough  of 
victims  who  are  verily  fallen,  (poor  creatures !)  that  these 
Satanic  bands  could  not  be  satisfied,  but  must  select  one  of 
the  purest,  and  best,  and  most  virtuous  of  God's  children, 
and  set  her  up  on  high,  falsely  accuse  her,  and  have  these 
sons  of  Belial  throw  stones  at  her  ?  Ah !  but  God  did  not 
choose  that  she  should  be  killed,  as  Naboth  was,  when  the 
insinuation  was  given  by  the  hypocritical  but  nominal 
member  of  the  church  as  Ahab  was,  like  our  old  preacher 
also,  whom  Jezebel  his  wife  stirred  up  ;  which  parallel  could 
not  be  carried  out  in  the  old  preacher,  that  we  ever  knew 
of ;  for  his  wife,  we  suppose,  was  a  good  woman.  But  this 
time  they  failed  killing  Mrs.  Smith,  as  Naboth  was.  And 
when  we  have  thought  of  these  two  old  fellows,  —  one  we 
know  a  would-be  libertine,  (Smith,)  sitting  the  one  telling 
and  the  other  believing  or  hearing  tales  as  false  as  hell  it- 
self on  those  who  were  as  pure  as  the  angels  of  God,  so  far 
as  fleshly  lust  was  concerned,  —  we  have  felt  that -we  could 
have  crushed  them  into  oblivion,  where  their  names  ought 
to  be  forgotten  forever.    There  was  one  little  listener  to  this 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


275 


holy  confab,  else  it  might  have  been  buried  in  oblivion  until 
the  great  day. 

O  God !  where  art  thou  gone  ?  why  sleepest  thou,  Lord, 
over  such  foul  doings  ?  Thou  that  seest  and  knowest  all 
hearts,  how  couldst  thou  suffer  the  innocent  thus  to  be 
treated,  and  the  guilty  pass  unpunished  ?  Our  very  soul  is 
harrowed  up  when  we  think  of  this  matter.  For  Mrs. 
Smith  no  more  believed,  nor  had  any  idea  that  any  one  could 
ever  dare  believe,  any  such  thing  of  one  so  pure,  so  holy,  so 
chaste,  modest,  and  virtuous  as  she  had  ever  been,  than 
she  believed  God  was  Beelzebub,  or  that  Beelzebub  was 
God.  In  fact,  this  thought  never  came  to  her  mind  ;  her  all- 
powerful  innocence  she  thought  sufficient  guarantee  to  es- 
tablish her,  beyond  doubt  forever,  a  pure  woman.  In  fact, 
she  had  ever  been  above  suspicion  where  she  was  raised ; 
and  the  devil  would  have  had  a  funny  time,  if  he  had  at- 
tempted such  an  attack  on  her  good  name  where  she  had 
been  best  and  longest  known ;  but,  as  stated  before,  she  was 
among  people  who  knew  not  Joseph.  And  for  reasons 
before  stated,  that  of  hearing  that  they  were  busybodies, 
and  delighted  to  hear  idle  tales  told  of  her  from  the  negroes 
and  children,  she  sought  not  their  acquaintance.  This  they 
worked  up  as  capital  against  her,  —  ("she  was  proud.") 
Therefore  would  they  rejoice  in  any  calamity  that  befell 
her,  for  she  knew  there  was  no  mortal  on  earth,  in  heaven, 
or  the  pit,  who  could  say  that  he,  she,  or  they  had  ever  seen 
any  departure  from  the  purest  life  by  her,  and  tell  the  truth. 
O  cursed  be  such  libidinous  wretches,  who  can  never  see 
any  character,*  no  matter  how  transparent,  only  through 
their  own  beclouded,  bedaubed,  and  bemired  glasses  of  sin ! 
their  own  hearts  giving  coloring  to  all  they  see,  and,  as 
they  are  as  black  as  Satan  ever  dared  to  be,  of  course  all 
they  see  partakes  of  the  same  hue. 

This  glorious  news  sped  like  wild  fire  through  all  that 


276 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


settlement.  Jerome  Smith's  family  had  set  out  for  church, 
some  went  to  Napoleon  Smith's  and  returned  home.  Some 
went  on  to  church.  Why  one  man's  abusing  his  wife  should 
have  created  such  a  terrible  ado,  we  never  could  see,  unless 
it  was  as  in  the  case  of  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  She  was 
so  innocent  and  guiltless  in  all  this  matter  that  the  very 
heavens  were  disturbed,  and  the  heathen  raged  and  imagined 
a  vain  thing;  for  she  in  very  deed  was  crucified  both  in 
body  and  mind.  For  we  bear  testimony  before  God  and 
high  heaven,  that  if  she  had  been  murdered  right  out,  it 
would  have  been  better  for  her  in  this  world  than  it  was,  as 
the  thing  existed  then ;  for  woe  to  any  one  when  these 
Smiths  rose  up  against  them,  (he  or  she,)  true  or  false. 
They  would  get  the  better  of  the  matter  by  lies  and  insin- 
uations, for  we  are  sure  it  never,  never  could  have  been  done 
by  fair  play.  The  old  negress,  wicked  as  she  w^as,  said 
master  would  drop  down  into  the  pit  before  he  would  open- 
ly avow  a  wrong.  If  rightly  represented,  it  could  never 
have  done  her  harm ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  must,  most  un- 
doubtedly, have  greatly  exalted  her  in  the  eyes' of  all  good 
people.  Good  people,  indeed !  we  wonder  where  they  dwell  ? 
in  heaven?  Ah,  yes!  not  exactly  about  that  section  and 
region  of  country  at  that  time.  True,  there  were  some ;  but 
they  are  ever,  on  this  green  earth,  few  and  far  between,  like 

angels'  visits  

Jerome  Smith's  wife  was  one  who  returned  from  N. 
Smith's,  and  came  where  her  sister  was,  while  her  husband 
remained  with  his  brother,  in  great  sympathy  with  him,  no 
doubt,  and  glad  in  his  heart  that  this  unconquerable  sister- 
in-law,  in  a  little  right  doing,  had  got  a  beating ;  for  he  was 
an  unjust  man,  and  willing  that  she  should  be  punished, 
because  she  would  not  be  as  they  were,  or  how  we  cannot 
tell;  for  they  pretended  any  thing  but  righteous  things. 
As  soon  as  she  beheld  her  dear  sister  in  bed  sick,  and 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


277 


bruised  up.  she  burst  iuto  tears,  and  wi-hed  that  Smith 
had  been  dead. 

And  now.  Yvdiile  the  sisters  are  here  in  this  mournful  con- 
,  dition.  let  us  turn  our  eyes  to  Smith's  residence.  It  was 
situated  in  a  somewhat  will  country,  and  rather  romantic 
in  appearance.  The  house  was  built  of  hewn  logs,  such  as 
are  common  in  new  countries.  It  consisted  of  four  large 
rooms,  two  above  and  two  below,  with  two  brick  chimneys, 
one  at  each  end  ;  three  glass  windows  to  each  room  below, 
and  two  apiece  without  glass  to  those  above.  About 
thirty  paces  from  the  western  door  was  another  house  of 
hewn  logs,  with  one  brick  chimney,  which  they  called  the 
diuing-house  :  also  where  the  larger  boys  of  the  house  had 
their  room,  and  lodged.  A  little  tarther  south  of  this  house 
was  the  well  and  kitchen,  and  to  the  south-east  the  gardens 
lay.  On  the  north  waved  the  long-leafed  pine,  the  sound 
among  the  tops  of  which  was  like  the  roar  of  distant  waters. 
On  the  east  was  an  oak  growth  and  a  great  variety  of  young 
trees  and  swamp  evergreens,  and  on  the  south-east  and 
south  rolled  a  beautiful  and  pr^try  large  creek ;  while  on 
the  west  was  the  meandering,  romantic  branch  spoken  of 
before,  from  the  banks  of  which  ascending  were  hills  and 
slopes  of  country  almost  mountain  high. 

In  this  domicile,  surrounded  by  flowers,  roses,  shrubbery, 
and  sweets  of  almost  every  kind  of  nature's  productions 
planted  by  the  hand  of  Mrs.  Smith,  sat  these  two  brothers, 
meditating  what  ?  —  peace  ?  Ah,  no  I  we  guess  not,  else  they 
would  have  had  that  all  the  time.  But  what  they  did 
meditate,  God  only  knows,  as  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  know 
only  a  part.  And  what  we  do  know  was  made  known  by 
many  little  things  and  words  spoken.  In  that  day  when 
the  secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  made  known,  then  we  may 
know. 

In  this  house,  too,  were  the  five  children  Mrs.  Smith 
24 


278 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


called  lier  own,  and  which  she  had  up  to  this  age  raised. 
The  oldest  of  the  first  wife's  two  youngest  children,  a  girl 
of  some  ten  or  twelve  years,  her  youngest  son  about  nine  or 
ten,  Mrs.  Smith's  own  eldest  son  about  six,  her  second  boy 
about  four,  and  her  own  only  little  daughter  about  three 
years  old;  all  these  were  wandering  about  hunting  and 
calling  for  their  ma  like  so  many  little  stray  partridges  or 
chicks  without  the  parent  hen.  For  up  to  this  time  these 
children  had  seemed  to  love  their  mother  better  than  any 
thing  else  on  earth.  The  daughter,  a  sharp  girl,  was  lis- 
tening to  everything  that  was  said  of  her  mamma.  For  a 
time  Smith  and  his  brother  Jerome  rejoiced  over  their  tri- 
umph. Smith  was  heard  to  tell  his  brother  that  he  wanted 
to  get  rid  of  his  wife,  and  that  he  had  given  her  only  two 
or  three  licks  so  that  he  might  effect  this  purpose,  (it 
seemed  he  remembered  her  saying  then,  but  what  cared  he 
for  that  ?)  and  that  he  was  now  glad  that  she  was  gone. 
This  he  afterwards  denied ;  but  his  own  child  (not  hers) 
told  it  on  him,  however,  and  that  without  any  making,  this 
time  at  least ;  for  what  would  she  have  cared  for  a  vanquished 
stepmother  now,  if  she  had  so  minded  to  be  against  her  ? 
Was  not  her  noble  papa  and  all  her  brothers  ready  to  be 
for  her,  and  had  not  they  all  the  power  ? 

Some  of  the  negroes  that  same  night  had  gone  over  to 
Smith's  eldest  son's ;  for  they  were  all  nestled  round  their 
father  on  his  plantation,  watching  what  was  going  on,  and 
planning  destruction.  So  when  he  heard  it,  he  gave  glory  to 
God,  and  bellowed  as  he  had  done  at  some  of  the  camp- 
meetings  before,  and  we  fear  shouted  more  than  he  will 
when  the  world  is  on  fire,  for  we  very  much  fear  his  shout- 
ing will  be  another  way.  Thus  the  wicked  rejoiced  over 
the  fall,  as  they  thought,  of  one  of  God's  own  children,  a 
much  abused  one.  But  "  rejoice  not  against  me,  O  mine 
enemy ;  for  when  I  fall,  I  shall  rise  again,"  was  her  Ian- 


A2sD   HUSKS   OF   SWINE.  279 

guage,  and  all  that  day  the  peace  of  God  as  a  river  flowed 
through  her  soul.  "  Though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of 
the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil ;  for  thou  art  with 
me.  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me." 

Shortly  after  their  holy  confalD  at  Smith's,  Jerome  re- 
turned, and  called  for  his  wife  to  go  home  from  her  afflicted, 
though  glorified  sister.  For  here  we  may  be  allowed  to 
digress  a  little  from  the  thread  of  the  story,  and  say,  in  our 
opinion,  this  was  her  seal  of  martyrdom,  here  she  received 
the  crown  that  set  her  among  the  holy  throng  who  had 
suffered  for  Jesus'  name,  and  shed  their  blood.  Her  blood 
was  verily  shed  from  bruises  of  shoulder  and  feet,  too.  And 
may  she  not,  in  the  day  of  righteous  revelation  from  God, 
be  able  to  look  upon  this  scene,  which,  to  earth,  looked  so 
dark,  (and  to  some  was  the  clouding  and  shrouding  the 
heavens  over  her  forever  in  this  world,)  as  one  of  pecu- 
liar grace  and  glory,  that  she  was  counted  worthy  to  suffer 
these  things  for  her  Saviour,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory. 
And  ofttimes  in  reading  that  beautiful  passage  where  the 
two  disciples  walked  to  Emmaus  and  were  sad,  Jesus  said 
. »  unto  them,  "  O  fools,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that 
the  prophets  have  written,  ought  not  Christ  to  have 
suffered  these  things,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory  ?  "  would 
she  feel  it  apj)lied  to  her  mind  many  long  yeai-s  after, 
though  she  did  pass  through  many  a  dark  valley  and  shadow 
of  death,  that  she  ought  for  her  Saviour's  sake  to  have  suf- 
fered these  things  and  enter  into  his  glory.  It  sealed  her 
with  the  crown  of  martyrdom  ;  it  set  her  among  the  saints 
who  were  beheaded  for  Christ's  sake ;  it  gave  her  deep  fel- 
lowship with  the  sufferings  of  Christ;  and  Dr.  Adam  Clarke 
says,  "  He  that  is  persecuted,  or  suffers  persecution  for  the 
cause  of  Christ,  is  eminently  honored  of  his  Creator." 

The  poor  little  children,  while  theii'  papa  was  engaged 
with  their  uncle,  stole  off,  and  ran  to  see  their  dear  mother, 


280 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


and  told  her  all  how  they  were  doing  and  talking.  Smith 
had  threatened  his  daughter  almost  with  death  if  she  went 
to  see  her  mother,  when  he  knew  she  would  do  it  at  the 
risk  of  her  life,  such  appeared  to  be  her  great  attachment 
to  this  friend  and  guide  of  her  youth.  Some  of  the  servants 
also  stole  off,  and  carried  some  of  Mrs.  Smith's  clothes  to 
her.  Smith  had  not  yet  come  to  himself,  nor  was  likely  to 
do  so,  while  under  Jerome's  influence. 

Shortly  after  Jerome  left,  Mrs.  Smith  received  the  follow- 
ing lines  from  her  yet  savage  husband. 

"  Mrs.  Grace  Smith  : — I  did  not  drive  you  off*.  You  can 
return,  if  you  see  proper;  and  if  not,  I  will  settle  a  child's  part 
on  you  during  your  lifetime.  Send  me  word  what  you  will  do. 
I  am  sorry  things  have  turned  out  so,  but  your  will  is  my 
pleasure." 

Recently  got  so,  thought  Mrs.  Smith  ;  her  will,  your  will, 
your  pleasure,  indeed  !  if  it  had  been  so,  even  in  a  half-way 
justice  on  your  part,  this  sad  occurrence  never  would  have 
astonished  any  person  nor  gladdened  enemies.  Insulting 
wretch  !  to  add  insult  to  -injury  and  murder.  To  this  hind 
epistle  she  made  no  reply ;  but  her  own  mind  was  never, 
never,  never,  come  what  would,  to  return  to  him  and  his 
wicked  family  again,  in  which  she  had  received  every  in- 
jury possible,  even  to  bloodshed,  and  that  from  the  hand 
of  one  called  by  the  name  of  husband,  a  perjured  man,  who 
had  sworn  at  God's  altar  to  protect  and  shield  her,  instead 
of  heaping  reproach,  contumely,  and  insult  to  the  highest 
degree  upon  her  devoted  head.  And  then,  as  if  to  cap  the 
climax,  and  fill  up  the  hard  bargain,  to  as  good  as  murder 
her,  and  throw  her  under  the  hedge,  to  be  worried  and  torn 
by  all  the  wild  boars,  dogs,  and  vultures  who  might  pass 
by  and  please  to  do  so,  from  within  his  own  borders,  and  as 
many  more  from  the  world  as  chose  to  join  this  holy  com- 
pany. 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWIKE. 


281 


After  awhile,  seeing  his  beautiful  note  had  not  the  de- 
sired effect,  Smith  began  to  come  to  himself  a  little,  being, 
as  we  suppose,  not  yet  quite  damned.  All  sparks  of  feel- 
ing might  not  yet  be  gone  —  feeling  for  himself,  at  least ; 
for  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  she  was  deceived,  as  when  she 
first  married  him,  if  we  or  she  believed  his  relentings  were 
for  her  or  her  sufferings.  The  sequel  will  prove  that  to 
demonstration,  if  we  ever  present  that  to  our  readers.  How- 
ever, he  began  to  repent  or  misgive  from  some  cause  or 
other. 

The  little  children,  as  their  papa  began  to  be  busy  with 
himself,  and  forgot  to  watch  them,  stole  off  to  see  their 
mother  again,  and  remained  with  her  all  the  afternoon. 
The  daughter  told  her  that  on  their  return  home  in  the 
morning,  her  father  had  scared  her  nearly  to  death, — 
threatened  to  kill  her;  for  he  knew  she  had  gone  over  there 
just  to  tell  her  mother  everj^thing  they  said,  and  a  pack  of 
lies,  too.  Poor  child  !  if  she  did,  we  think  she  had  an  apt 
teacher  in  her  father.  And  need  we  wonder  at  some  things 
which  came  to  pass  a  few  years  after,  in  this  child's  conduct 
towards  this  poor  mother  ?  A  brother  of  hers,  too,  had 
perhaps  more  to  do  with  the  change  in  this  girl's  mind 
towards  this  much  wronged  woman,  who  had  always  been 
not  only  so  very  "  careful  of  this  child,"  as  her  neighbor 
expressed  it,  but  really  did  love  the  poor  child  as  her  own. 

But  why  did  he  fear  his  child's  telling  his  poor  persecuted 
wife  and  her  despised  stepmother  anything  ?  .  "\Yere  they  not 
kings  ?  Why  need  he,  or  Jerome  either,  fear  anything  - — 
especially  anything  they  should  say  —  being  told  such  a 
woman  as  they  were  wont  to  make  his  wife  appear  ?  This 
is  all  mystery  to  us.  And  we  shall  not  now  undertake  to 
solve  it.  The  Sabbath  night  passed  away.  Mrs.  Smith 
was  still  happy  and  trustful  in  God.  The  Holy  Scriptures 
were  her  great  support  and  comfort  in  the  day  of  trouble. 
24* 


282 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


She  was  possessed  of  the  spirit  that  enables  one  to  burn  at 
the  stake,  and  sing  in  the  flames  —  "  at  midnight  Paul  and 
Silas  sang  praises  to  God."  She  had  some  of  Daniel's  spirit 
also  —  "  cast  me  into  the  lion's  den,  and  I  will  still  praise 
and  pray  unto  my  God  as  heretofore."  Some  say  that  the 
opposition  to  the  cross  of  Christ  has  in  a  measure  ceased. 
Not  a  bit  of  it.  It  is  as  rank  to-day  as  ever.  The  secular 
arm  restrains  these  diabolions  a  little.  But  just  give  them 
that,  as  heretofore,  and  the  blood  of  true  Christians  would 
flov/  as  St.  Stephen's  did,  in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity. 
See  how  many  devices  Satan  helps  his  votaries  to,  by  which 
to  torture  those  who  will  not  serve  God  and  mammon  to- 
gether. This  was  one  of  his  masterpieces  of  strategic 
policy,  which  he  committed  to  his  faithful  general,  or 
generals,  as  we  might  call  these  Smiths,  who  had  departed 
from  their  God,  and  were  serving  their  own  lusts  and 

malice  Monday  morning  brought  a  new  state  of 

affairs.  Smith  had,  during  the  Sabbath,  in  attempting  to 
go  up-stairs  where  she  so  oft  resorted,  fell  on  the  steps,  or 
pretended  to  fall  ;  had  nearly  fainted,  it  was  said,  under  a 
sense  of  what  he  had  done. 

Jerome  went  over  there  again  this  morning,  his  wife 
having  stopped  v/ith  her  sister.  Presently,  he  returned  with 
a  note  from  his  brother  to  Mrs.  Smith,  not  daring  to  pre- 
sent it  himself,  for  a  more  unpopular  person  on  earth  (to 
Mrs.  Smith)  could  not  have  been  sent  on  an  embassy  of 
negotiation  than  he  was,  for  she  considered  him,  if  not  the 
prime  cause  of  all  this  matrimonial  confusion,  at  least  a 
great  abettor  to  it.  It  was  as  if  the  hand  of  an  assassin 
should  hand  a  note  to  her.    No,  he  should  not  come  near  her. 

In  our  mind's  eye,  we  can  see  them  all  three  now,  —  Je- 
rome hastily  riding  on  his  fine  gray  mule,  looking  for  all  the 
world  like  a  condemned  man ;  Mrs.  N.  Smith  flying  from 
the  house,  lest  she  might  encounter  his  disagreeable  pres- 


AND   HUSKS   OF  Sy>'INE. 


283 


ence ;  lier  sister  pursuing  her  witli  tlie  note  in  her  hand. 
Mrs.  N.  Smith,  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  house,  got  upon 
a  stump,  her  sister  still  in  pursuit,  wliile,  with  a  voice  she 
hoped  loud  enough  for  Jerome  to  hear,  she  said,  "Go  off 
with  your  land,  and  all  your  property  propositions.  All 
the  Smiths  in  the  world  have  not  money  enough  to  buy 
me.  Your  land,  away  with  it."  Fur  her  sister  had  told 
her  some  of  the  propositions  Jerome  said  his  brother  would 
make  to  his  wife.  And  then  she  still  continued  speaking  : 
"  This  eternal  reference  to  a  little  property,  my  soul  is  sick 
of;"  for  Smith  had  worried  her  mucli ;  perhaps  hundreds  of 
times  had  said  to  her,  "  Just  say  the  word,  and  I  will  make 
over  everything  I  have  in  the  world  to  you."  And  as  oft 
would  she  reply  that  she  never  would  do  such  a  thing.  "I 
never  will  wrong  your  children.  I  came  not  into  the  family 
to  act  unjustly,  but  ex23ected  to  be  called  '  the  repairer  of 
the  breach,  the  restorer  of  paths  to  dwell  in;'  and  now  such 
everlasting  wrangling  and  talking  about  property  —  I  will 
not,  away  with  it." 

If  Mrs.  Smith  had  been  a  designing  woman,  she  would 
have  endeavored  to  please  Smith  alone,  and  let  his  children 
go.  It  was  thought  she  had  great  influence  over  him. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  if  she  could  not  influence  him  to  do 
right,  she  would  not  to  do  wrong.  But  her  sister  still  pur- 
sued her  with  the  note,  laughing,  and  reading  in  her  mis- 
chievous and  funny  style,  saying,  "  Come  here,  my  dear." 
Mrs.  Grace  Smith  read  it.    It  commenced  as  follows: 

"  Mrs.  Grace  Smith  : — My  dear,  it  is  my  desire  that  you 
return  home.    If  you  will,  I  will  send  a  Iioi^se  for  you." 

Now,  serious  as  the  times  were,  the  sisters  could  not  re- 
frain from  laughing  at  this  epistle.  "  Oh,  mighty  dear  am 
I  to  you  now,"  to  be  sure,  thought  Mrs.  Smith. 

Jerome  returned  to  his  quondam  brother,  and  informed 
him'  of  his  unsuccessful  embassy.    Send  some  other  mes- 


284 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


senger,  you  foolish  man,  if  you  wish  to  succeed.  There 
are  none  in  all  your  crowd  but  what  would  be  treated  with 
the  same  scorn.  So  he  came  back  to  his  wife,  and  said  that 
Napoleon  was  as  pale  as  death ;  and  if  Grace  did  not  re- 
turn, he  believed  he  would  be  a  corpse  in  less  than  ten 
days.  No  danger  of  that,  my  good  brother,  we  guess.  He 
is  only  afraid  of  the  lawyers,  and  a  lawsuit,  and  his  own 
condition.  He  does  not  care  two  straws  for  the  injured 
wife.  This  touched  Mrs.  Grace  Smith's  tender  heart, 
though  she  did  not  wish  to  see  him.  His  savage  looks  on 
Saturday  night  haunted  her  vision  night  and  day. 

One  of  the  servant- women  —  the  bad  one  —  came  over, 
and  said,  "  Oh,  Miss  Grace,  do  come  back ;  there  are  all 
your  books  and  clothes  hanging,  and  you  absent ;  it  seems 
as  if  you  were  dead !  "  An  old  faithful  servant,  when  he 
saw  how  his  mistress  was  beaten  and  bruised,  the  tears 
coursed  "down  his  manly  cheeks  as  if  she  had  been  his  own 
color,  or  his  child.  His  wife,  an  old  woman,  came  to 
strengthen  her  hands  in  God.  And  while  she  was  talking 
to  her  mistress,  and  saying  God  was  on  her  side,  she  looked 
towards  home,  and  exclaimed,  "Oh,  Miss  Grace,  yonder 
comes  master ! " 

Mrs.  Smith  looked  and  saw  him,  pale  and  white,  haggard 
and  frightful,  come  tilting  as  hard  as  he  could  walk,  with 
his  walking-stick  in  hand.  He  looked  fearful  to  her.  And 
away  she  flew  out  of  the  door  through  the  back  door,  the 
backway  opposite  the  road  he  was  in,  through  an  orchard 
in  the  rear  of  the  house  where  she  was.  He  came ;  some 
of  the  servants  of  the  family  on  being  asked  told  him 
which  way  she  went.  .  He  bent  his  steps  after  her.  She 
looked  behind  and  saw  him  coming.  She  mended  her 
gait,  although  very  weak  from  exhaustion  and  fright,  and 
ready  to  faint.  Now  she  was  entangled  in  some  briers 
and  ready  to  fall,  but  still  determined,  at  the  risk  of  her  life, 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


285 


he  should  not  get  to  her,  nor  overtake  her.  She  made  for 
the  road  to  which  her  "way  wended,  or  wound  out  to  the 
west  of  the  house.  Again  she  spied  him.  She  again 
quickened  her  pace.  And  now  perceiving  that,  if  she  kept 
the  straight  road  to  the  next  house,  he  would  most  assuredly 
overtake  her,  she  spied  a  little  cabin  in  the  woods,  and 
taking  the  covert  of  some  bushes  that  intervened  between 
her  and  her  pursuing  foe,  she  turned  aside  with  all  her 
might,  panting  for  breath,  plunged  into  the  house  head- 
long, and  fell  on  a  bed  more  dead  than  alive. 

The  little  cabin  was  the  house  of  the  overseer  of  the  gen- 
tleman at  whose  house  she  had  taken  refuge.  The  woman 
of  the  house,  being  the  only  inmate  there  except  a  little 
child  or  two,  exclaimed  : 

"  Oh,  Mrs.  Smith,  what  is  the  matter  ? " 

She  told  her  in  a  few  words,  as  she  could  gather  breath 
and  strength  to  speak.  .  ' 

"  Are  you  so  afraid  of  him  as  that,  my  dear  madam? 
Why,  you  are  as  pale  as  a  corpse !  " 

But  she  thus  eluded  his  pursuit.  He  could  not  find  her. 
Now  the  thought  came  into  her  mind  while  she  was  running 
from  him,  that  if  he  could  get  to  her,  and  she  all  alone,  with 
that  stick  in  his  hand,  he  might  beat  her  to  death,  and  no 
one  would  ever  know  it.  She  had  no  better  opinion  of  him  at 
that  time  ...  But  he  failed,  and  went  back  home,  which  he 
had  made  desolate  by  his  own  brutality  and  violence ;  and 
she,  after  reviving  sufficiently,  returned  to  the  house  whence 
she  had  fled.  Another  one  of  her  neighbors  having  sent 
for  her,  she  went  thither,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  that 
day  and  the  night  also  with  her.  She  still  determined  never 
to  return  to  him.  And  while  there  she  opened  the  Bible, 
and  the  name  "  Joseph  "  lighted  on  her  mind,  having  caught 
her  eye  as  soon  as  she  opened  the  book.  The  comparison 
of  that  pure  young  man's  case  to  her  own  was  too  obvious 


286 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEK, 


to  pass  unnoticed  on  this  trying  occasion.  She  derived  di- 
vine consolation  and  support  from  it.  The  innocent  and 
virtuous  must  suffer  when  in  the  hands  of  sinners,  in  the 
hands  of  the  wicked.  .  .  . 

By  this  time  Mr.  H  ,  husband  of  the  lady  to  whose 

house  she  first  fied,  had  returned  home,  having  been  absent 
when  this  dreadful  affair  had  taken  place  at  his  neighbor 
N.  Smith's.  He  had  ever  seemed  to  respect  Mrs.  Smith  for 
her  superior  good  sense,  and  she  and  his  wife  were  on  the 
best  of  terms  as  kind  neighbors.  And  while  he  was  passing 
by  Smith's,  on  his  way  to  his  daughter's,  whither  his  wife 
had  gone  on  account  of  her  daughter  being  sick.  Smith 
called  to  this  gentleman,  and  asked  him  to  use  his  influence 
with  his  wife  to  get  her  to  return,  saying,  "  He  had  done 
that  in  a  mad  fit,  for  which  he  wished  his  right  hand  or  arm 
had  been  cut  ofl"  to  his  shoulder  before  he  should  ever  have 
done*it,"  and  added,  "  that  when  he  got  mad,  he  had  no 
more  reason  than  a  mad  dog." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MRS.  smith's  return. 

JOSEPH  was  sold  for  a  servant ;  his  feet  were  hurt  with 
fetters,  he  was  laid  in  irons."  That  night  passed  and 
another  day  came;  Joseph's  name  was  still  on  her  mind. 
The  comparison  was  striking ;  it  sent  a  thrill  of  holy  delight 
to  her  soul.  Without  reading  another  word,  she  rejoiced. 
Joseph  was  imprisoned,  and  lay  low  with  other  accused  cul- 
prits, all  for  a  lie  told  on  him.  Her  own  mind  and  judg- 
ment was  to  go  to  the  town,  the  county  site  of  the  adjoining 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


287 


county,  employ  counsel,  and  get  a  bill  of  separation  from 
Smith  and  all  his  unholy  doings, 

Mrs.  Smith  was  entitled  to  this  by  his  brutal  violence 
alone,  without  the  evidence  of  the  long  tissue  of  persecutions 
by  the  tongue,  by  the  statutes  of  both  States  in  which  they 
had  lived.  And  in  this  thought  she  seemed  to  derive  comfort 
from  the  God  of  heaven.  The  Holy  Spirit  seemed  to  inspire 
and  direct  in  this  course.  Not  that  we  believe  the  God  of 
heaven,  or  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  countenances  such  courses 
for  everything^  even  incompatibility  of  temper.  Yet  the 
Saviour  of  men  said,  "Moses,"  whom  we  know  was  God's 
law-giver,  "  suffered  these  things  for  the  hardness  of  their 
henrts."  Because  the  infinitely  good  One,  the  Father  of  all, 
saw  that  in  some  cases  it  was  best  for  the  poor,  down-trodden 
woman  that  she  should  be  separated  from  her  cruel,  tyran- 
nical husband,  than  to  dwell  with  him  in  eternal  torment,  or 
torment  and  torture  so  long  as  they  both  should  live.  *  And 
we  do  think,  after  many  years'  e±perience  and  observation, 
when  a  being  called  a  man,  but  who  is  not  a  man  in  God's 
sense  of  the  word,  at  an  early  period  of  the  married  life 
begins  to  cut  shines,  and  get  up  a  dust  about  nothing  in  the 
world  but  his  own  distorted,  false  view  of  things,  that  right 
there  and  then,  nine  times  out  of  ten,  it  is  best  for  the  poor 
woman  that  she  separate  from  this  brute  of  a  man.  Be- 
cause, no  matter  how  the  thing  is  patched  up,  the  same  de- 
moniac principle  that  caused  him  to  act  unjustly  will  cause 
it  again.  And  farther  on  in  life  there  may  be  others,  their 
helpless  offspring,  to  suffer  besides  themselves  —  always 
taking  it  for  granted  that  one  or  the  other  of  the  married 
parties  are  innocent.  For  if  both  are  guilty,  the  law^  acts 
as  a  bar  upon  them,  considers  them  equal,  and  gives  them 
no  legal  separation,  A  very  proper  law,  we  think,  among 
many  that  are  unjust  towards  the  woman  esj^ecially.  That 
is,  where  our  law-makers  are  biased  by  their  own  selfish 


288 


BEEAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


interest,  and  in  decisions  are  influenced  by  the  weiglit  of  the 
tyrannical  husband's  purse,  or  his  ill-gotten  evidence  against 
his  victim,  as  in  the  case  of  Naboth,  against  whom  were 
suborned  wicked  men  of  Belial,  who  said  and  swore  to  things 
false,  to  get  Naboth  stoned  to  death. 

Mrs.  Smith  thought  the  surest  way  of  safety  and  peace 
to  herself  and  her  dear  little  ones,  now  in  his  power,  was 
the  justness  of  her  cause  and  an  appeal  to  the  justice  of  the 
laws  of  her  country.  Of  this  Smith  was  afraid ;  hence  his 
great  anxiety  to  repossess  her,  and  get  her  to  return.  He 
had  a  mortal  dread  of  getting  into  the  hands  of  the  lawyers 
or  the  law ;  not  so  much  a  dread  of  law  and  lawyers,  as  for 
'  the  sake  of  the  dollars  and  cents.  He  had  staked  all,  and 
had  accumulated  a  pretty  comfortable  estate  of  negroes  and 
lands ;  had  made  them  his  idols  ;  and  whatsoever  a  man 
loves  most,  to  that  he  will  cling  with  the  greatest  tenacity. 
He  had  some  dread  of  public  scandal ;  but  that  he  could 
soon  waive  by  putting  it  all  on  his  hapless,  helpless  victim, 
not  considering  the  reproach  equal,  or  even  thinking  or 
caring  what  bearing  it  might  have  upon  his  children.  Blind 
man  !  "  Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap." 
He  had  sown  to  the  wind,  and  was  now  reaping  the  whirl- 
wind. 

Mrs.  Smith  told  Mrs.  W  what  she  thought  of  going 

to  town.  "  Oh,"  said  she,  "  he  will  think  you  will  rum  him, 
if  you  go  there." 

Well,  if  he  were  ruined,  it  was  his  deserts  and  not  hers, 
he  and  he  alone  had  brought  it  on  himself.  In  her  hands, 
if  let  alone,  it  would  have  been  very  different. 

Twice  had  it  been  said  that  she  would  ruin  others  by 
leaving  them.  Self-preservation,  the  first  instinct  of  nature, 
'  ever  presents  itself  first  with  what  is  best  for  us  to  do.  It 
is  a  law  in  our  very  natures  and  souls,  that  is  like  the  best 
of  lawyers,  ever  on  the  watch-tower  or  lookout  for  us,  to 


AND  HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


289 


guard  us  from  our  enemies.  And  if  from  cowardice,  or 
policy  of  others,  or  unwise  advice  of  others,  which  amounts 
to  the  same  thing  as  policy,  for  if  others  who  are  our  true 
friends,  as  the  good  lawyer  is,  give  us  advice  at  all,  it  is  for 
our  best  interests.  And  they  weigh  well  the  matter  before 
advice  is  given.  Others,  perhaps,  wish  not  to  be  ol)noxiou3 
to  the  adverse  party,  or  have  some  latent  interest  in  us, 
which  they  are  afraid  they  might  lose,  if  they  advised  the 
way  we  wish.  There  is  some  selfishness  mixed  up  with 
their  motives.  Or  they  may  not  ])e  apprised  of  the  depths 
of  our  wrongs,  and  hence  should  withhold  their  advice. 
Especially,  if  they  know  we  have  not  suspected  them  enough 
to  discern  their  flimsy  garment  of  sophistry,  of  pretended 
friendship  —  interested  friendshijD ;  or  their  utter  incapa- 
bility of  giving  advice  in  our  case.  But  this  does  not  suit 
their  purpose.    They  wish  us  to  remain  blind  to  their  real 

motives  Self-immolation  had  been  her  portion  all 

these  days  and  years  past,  and  now  must  she,  for  the  sake 
of  her  awfully  selfish  husband  (or  he  who  had  been),  be 
still  further  sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  his  lust  and  ambition, 
under  the  semblance  of  contrition  for  his  conduct  ?  True 
contrition  being  entire  reformation  and  restitution,  where 
anything  has  been  taken  away  by  detraction  and  false  ac- 
cusation. Alas!  there  was  none  of  this  spirit  truly  about 
him  this  time,  though  it  might  have  that  appearance  to 
other  eyes  than  those  of  Mrs.  Smith's,  who  had  been  behind 
the  scenes.  We  have  heard  of  bed-curtain  lectures.  Of 
these  she  had  had  line  upon  line,  and  precept  upon  precept, 
until  she  wished  no  more,  Her  very  soul  loathed  tliese 
scenes,  And  would  he  desist  from  a  lifetime  practice  now  ? 
Did  she  not  know  the  voice  and  language  of  wounded  ar- 
rogancy  too  well  to  think  his  repentance  genuine? 

While  still  at  Mrs.  W  's,  in  the  afternoon  ISIr.  H  • 

and  his  wife  both  came  with  a  message  from  Smith  to  his 
25  .  T 


290  BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 

"wife.  One  of  his  sons  had  come.  Poor  fellow!  called  an 
imbecile  in  the  family,  but  one  who  had  more  grace  to  treat 
Mrs.  Smith  well  than  any  of  the  other  and  older  boys,  who 
thought  they  were  wiser  than  this  their  brother.  He 
offered  all  that  he  was  worth,  poor  fellow,  if  Mrs.  Smith 
would  return.  But  she  had  soon  sent  him  away,  telling 
him  to  leave  her  alone. 

Mrs.  W  said,  "Well,  Mrs.  Smith,  I  think  you  could 

plead  your  cause  very  well,  judging  from  your  eloquence  to 
that  poor  boy."  This  lady  never  took«it  upon  her  to  advise 
Mrs.  Smith,  but  was  truer  in  her  friendship  than  many  that 
did. 

Mrs.  Smith  had  felt  a  cloud  overshadow  her  mind,  as  her 
faith  began  to  waver  from  hearing  so  many  messages  from 
mistaken  friends.    And  immediately  after  dinner  came  the 

chief  one.    Mr.  H  and  his  wife  had  come  by  Smith's  on 

their  return  from  their  visit  to  their  daughter.  Smith  had 
feigned  himself  sick,  and  perhaps  was  really  so,  and  told 

Mrs.  H  that  he  expected  to  die  soon ;  and  that  it  was 

very  heart-rending  to  hear  the  little  children  going  over  the 
house  calling  for  their  mother,  especially  the  only  little 

girl  Mrs.  Smith  had ;  "  and,"  said  Mrs.  H  to  her,  "  he 

requested  me,  as  if  it  was  the  last  word  he  had  to  say,  to  beg 
you,  if  you  please,  to  return,  if  it  was  but  to  see  him  die, 
and  that  he  will  never  treat  you  amiss  again.    That  he 

made  this  request  because  he  knew  Mrs.  H  had  more 

influence  with  his  wife  than  any  one  else  in  the  neighbor- 
hood." Look  at  the  cunning  of  the  man,  even  when  pre- 
tending to  die.  Wonder  if  Mrs.  Smith  was  to  return,  how 
long  it  would  be  before  he  would  forbid  her  visiting  the  old 
lady;  would  be  jealous  of  her  sons,  or  even  of  the  old  man? 
But  this  kind  old  gentleman  did  not  know  this,  and  told 
Mrs.  Smith  what  Smith  had  before  said  to  him  of  his  con- 
duct; "and  although,"  said  he,  "he  has  done  so  wrong,  he 


AND   HUSKS  OF 


SWINE. 


29i 


flung  the  tears  from  me  in  a  hurry ;  and  now,  my  dear 
madam,  if  you  can  return,  do  so.  The  Lord  God'of  heaven 
is  able  to  redress  your  wrongs,  and  he  will  do  it." 

Mrs.  Smith  was  overwhelmed.  Her  sympathetic  nature 
was  touched.  Yet  she  could  not  have  much  confidence  in 
his  repentance,  knowing  better  than  any  one  else  his  former 
freaks,  and  frequent  changes  from  bad  to  good,  and  from 
good  to  bad  again.  Yet  the  idea  of  his  being  prostrated 
on  a  bed  of  sickness  affected  her  kind,  generous,  forgiving 
heart,  as  it  should  not  have  done ;  for  his  sickness  was  only 
feigned,  and  it  needed  only  her  presence  to  arouse  him  from 
that  bed,  and  erelong  the  demon  would  return,  and  he  be 
returned  to  his  wallowing  in  the  mire,  and  be  studying 
some  more  diabolical  mischief  in  his  brain  with  which  to 
torture  his  victim.  The  only  trouble  now  was  that  the  bird 
was  out  of  the  foul  cage.  But  her  plan  was  (and  a  good 
one,  too),  that  if  she  ever  returned,  before  she  would  again 
trust  herself  in  that  unjust  family, — inasmuch  as  by  his 
violence  he  had  made  the  thing  public  (for  had  he  not  said 
to  his  brother  he  wished  to  get  rid  of  her,  and  therefore 
had  given  a  few  licks?) — if  he  did  not  wish  a  legal  investi- 
gation, of  which  he  stood  in  so  much  awe,  as  it  had  been 
about  the  preachers,  and  the  more  innocent  ones  especially, 
that  he  should  now  call  a  company  of  these  together,  and 
before  them,  and  before  the  world,  so  far  as  the  news  had 
gone,  both  by  written  and  oral  declaration,  make  a  public 
confession  of  his  wrong ;  right  her  before  a^^men,  and  ask  par- 
don, not  only  of  her,  which  could  be  done  in  a  corner,  as 
had  been  done  a  thousand  times  before,  but  perhaps  denied 
if  he  thought  proper.  But  as  public  as  this  thing  was,  so 
public  should  be  his  recantation.  The  law  of  restitution 
demands  it,  and  woe  be  to  the  man  or  woman  who  has 
sinned  against  another  that  does  not  make  haste  and  fulfil 
this  law.    He  or  she  shall  be  bound  down  in  prison,  nor 


292 


BEEAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


Bhall  tliey  ever  come  forth  until  tliey  have  paid  to  the  utter- 
most farthing.  Oh,  if  we  had  injured  another  in  mortal 
life,  we  would  make  haste,  as  from  the  windy  storin  and 
tempest,  to  make  restitution.  Zaccheus  said,  "If  I  have 
taken  anything  away  from  any  man  by  false  accusation,  I 
restore  him  fourfold."  How  was  this  man  to  restore  Mrs. 
Smith  fourfold?  It  was  impossible;  inasmuch  as  money 
can  never  be  put  in  competition  with  one's  good  name.  "  A 
good  name  is  to  be  preferred  to  gold  or  silver."  "  He  that 
steals  my  gold,  steals  trash.  It  is  something,  it  is  nothing, 
and  has  been  servant  of  thousands,  but  he  that  takes  my 
good  name  from  me,  takes  that  that  cannot  enrich  him,  but 
leaves  me  poor  indeed."  An  impoverished  creature,  in- 
deed, is  a  dear,  good  woman  deprived  of  her  good  name. 
It  is  her  royal  diadem.  In  it  the  stars  of  virtue  and  good- 
ness, modesty,  and  real  worth  outshine  all  the  gems  and 
costly  pearls  that  ever  glittered  in  the  crown  of  royalty. 
It  is  far  more  brilliant ;  yea,  it  is  more  brilliant  than  the 
royal  king  of  day  in  all  his  splendor,  for  is  it  not  said  that 
the  righteous  shall  outshine  the  sun? 

But  to  return.  The  kind  old  gentleman  again  told  her 
what  Smith  had  said.  How  he  wished  "  his  arm  had  been 
cut  off  to  his  shoulder  before  he  had  ever  raised  his  hand 
against  his  wife ;  "  and  how  wrong  it  was.  "  Yet,  my  dear 
madam,  if  you  can  return,  please  do  so."    Then,  again,  Mrs. 

H  said,  "  Mrs.  Smith,  Mr.  Smith  appealed  to  me,  in  his 

distress,  to  speak  in  his  behalf,  because  he  said  he  knew  you 
had  more  confidence  in  me  than  any  one  else  in  the  neigh- 
borhood."   (Mistaken  confidence,  we  fear.) 

And  now  the  clouds  began  to  gather  about  Mrs.  Smith. 
Her  dear  mother  was  away.  Her  own  sister,  Jerome's  wife, 
had  sent  word  to  her,  by  the  good  old  servant,  to  please  to 
return ;  that  she  would  rather  see  her  in  her  grave  than  that 
she  should  be  thus  situated  —  going  from  one  neighbor's 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


293 


house  to  another.  This  was  Jerome's  voice  and  version. 
Do  we,  need  we,  wonder  at  it?  She  had  visited  but  two 
neighbors  besides  the  little  house  in  which  she  fell  when 
running  from  Smith.  And  which  was  the  more  pleasing 
sight  before  God  and  man  ?  a  man,  or  a  creature  called  a 
man,  beating  his  wife ;  or  that  wife  taking  refuge  from  his 
violence  in  a  house  or  two  ?  Judge  ye !  "We  think  the 
latter  far  more  pleasing.  But  these  Smiths  could  not  stop 
people's  tongues.  And  they  dreaded  so  much  the  getting 
abroad  of  the  true  version  of  the  case. 

But  Smith's  stratagem  of  being  sick,  and  the  thought  of 
her  poor  little  children,  especially  the  little  baby  girl,  in- 
fluenced Mrs.  Smith.  She  had  not  yet  found  out  to  its 
depths  the  deep  deception  of  Smith's  heart.  How  could 
she?  For  when  she  repented,  it  was  always  sincere  repent- 
ance. How  else  could  she  judge  of  another  ?  Though  she 
had  doubts  of  him,  yet,  as  this  was  a  desperate  case,  a  des- 
perate wrong,  might  it  not  be  a  godly  repentance  ?  She 
rose  up,  and  nobly  resolved  to  go  to  him  because  he  was 
sick,  and  because  of  her  little  children.  Still,  it  was  against 
her  own  mind  and  judgment  on  the  subject. 

Au  enemy  of  hers  might  say,  —  one  of  Saul's  house,  — 
"  I  wonder  what  would  have  become  of  her,  if  she  had  not 
returned."  We  venture  to  say,  dear  enemy,  if  she  had  not 
returned,  but  asserted  her  rights  and  privileges  as  a  human 
being,  a  free  being,  that  the  God  of  heaven  would  have 
made  a  way  for  her  escape,  and  that  of  her  dear  children, 
better,  sooner,  and  altogether  more  endurable  than  that 
which  she  submitted  herself  to  by  going  again  among  all 
the  enemies  ever  she  had  in  her  life.  True,  the  Red  Sea  was 
before  her  and  Pharaoh's  hosts  behind  ;  but  God  was  for 
her,  and  all  that  she  would  have  had  to  do  would  have  been 
to  believe  God  instead  of  these  evil  counsellors,  and  gone 
forward  trusting  in  Him.  She  had  a  lawyer  friend  in  the 
25  - 


294 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


town  referred  to,  of  whom  Smith  had  not  known,  we  presume, 
one  who  had  known  her  in  the  town  of  S  ,  when  of  un- 
sullied popularity.  Had  he  known  of  this  man,  we  guess 
he  would  have  been  more  uneasy  than  ever.  But  Mrs. 
Smith  had  been  so  long  in  bondage,  first  under  inebriation 
from  a  father,  and  then  of  this  cruelly,  unjust  jealous  hus- 
band, that  her  mind  was  somewhat  like  the  children  of 
Israel  under  similar  circumstances.  She  knew  not  that  God 
had  intended  now  to  deliver  her.  She  saw  no  Moses,  and 
hence  her  faith  wavered.  She  was  not  as  strong  as  Abra- 
ham in  that  grace.  But  if  she  could  have  been  left  alone, 
this  would  have  been  her  course,  even  if  she  went  to  see 
the  sick  man,  and  left  again.  But  yielding  her  own  judg- 
ment again,  to  her  own  detriment,  she,  in  company  with 
two  or  three  ladies,  and  the  old  gentleman  spoken  of  before, 
rode  over  to  Smith's  residence.  Oh,  how  changed  every- 
thing !  There  were  her  cotton  patch  and  her  orchard,  no 
longer  possessing  any  interest  or  beauty  for  her  eyes.  And 
when  they  got  to  the  threshold  of  Smith's  residence,  some 
obnoxious  persons  were  within ;  some  enemies  of  hers,  for 
whom  Smith  had  sent  during  her  absence  because  he,  poor 
fellow,  was  sick.  How  sick  ?  Of  the  devil  and  sin.  Ought 
not  Mrs.  Smith  to  have  known  by  this  how  the  thing  stood, 
and  what  he  was  after  ?  Why  did  she  not  fly  again  and 
leave  him  to  these  to  hug  to  his  soul  forever,  and  leave  her 
alone?  As  it  was,  while  they  remained,  she  would  not  enter 
the  den  of  the  lion.  She  went  oif,  highly  insulted,  and  sat 
on  the  fence  that  ran  towards  the  little  branch.  As  she 
passed,  the  good  cook  said  : 

"  Miss  Grace,  do,  if  you  please,  remain  at  home." 

"  Let  me  alone,"  she  replied.  "  You  know  not  what  I 
have  suffered." 

The  kind  old  gentleman  followed  her  and  begged  her  to 
return. 


AND   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


295 


"Mr.  H  said  slie,  "you,  nor  any  other  mortal, 

know  notliing  of  tiie  thousandth  part  I  have  suffered  from 
this  family.  And  then,  in  my  absence,  to  send  for  those 
■whom  he  knows  would  have  me  killed,  if  they  dared !  And 
did  she  not  slander  my  own  sister,  her  uncle's  wife,  and  her 
own  husband?  No,  I  will  not  return  while  they  are  in 
that  house ;  I  will  die  first.  They  shall  not  have  everything 
their  own  way  with  me,  their  victim." 

What  else  she  said  we  do  not  remember.  By  this  time 
she  had  waxed  eloquent,  being  fired  up  by  the  sight  of  those 
designing  persons.  But  when  they  left,  she  went  in ;  the  old 
gentleman  all  the  time  trying  to  persuade  her,  which  this  time 
had  not  much  efiect ;  for  she  never  would  have  returned  if 
they  had  remained.  Smith  was  lying  on  his  back  on  the 
'bed  in  their  room,  apparently  very  sick.  As  soon  as  he 
saw  his  wife,  he  turned  hastily  to  her,  and  said : 

"  Come  here,  my  dear.  I  have  treated  you  very  meanly. 
Will  you  forgive  me  ?    God  has  forgiven  me." 

So  much  calling  "my  dear"  on  this  black  occasion !  We 
are  not  sure  God  forgave  him.  We  are  of  a  difierent 
opinion.  Nor  do  we  think  it  is  forgiven  yet,  because  never 
repented  of  in  the  right  manner.  And  no  restitution  was 
ever  made.  Meanly  is  a  poor  word  for  his  treatment.  If 
he  had  said  "  murderously,"  it  would  have  been  more  defi- 
nitely the  true  word.  Perhaps  he  had  no  proper  sense  of 
the  atrocity  of  his  deed.  If  he  had,  he  did  not  have  grace 
to  properly  acknowledge  it.  Acknowledge,  indeed !  The 
veritable  old  servant  of  a  former  chapter  said,  "Before 
master  would  publicly  acknowledge  this  wrong,  he  would 
drop  down  into  hell.  I  knows  'em.  Miss  Grace  ;  needn't  tell 
me !  they'd  a  great  deal  sooner  beat  you  for  telling  the  ever- 
lasting truth  than  to  acknowledge  they'd  done  wrong."  And 
■we  found  the  old  negro  told  about  the  true  tale,  the  true  way 
of  their  doings.  .  .  .  And  then,  when  she  was  within  his  un- 
holy walls  again,  he  began  to  arouse  in  a  moment  of  time. 


296 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


The  language  of  wounded  pride  was  certainly  his,  for  he 
began  to  tell  how  popular  he  had  been  in  a  county  of  the 
old  State  where  he  had  formerly  lived.  How,  when  con- 
stituted an  officer  in  that  county,  his  neighbors  and  friends 
flocked  around  him,  and  almost  pulled  him  off  his  horse. 
This  was  long  before  the  tocsin  of  war  was  ever  sounded 
in  our  own  country,  and  he  was  made  an  officer  of  the  mili- 
tia. But  what  that  circumstance  had  to  do  with  his  present 
conduct,  we  could  not  see,  unless  he  was  recounting  how 
popular  he  once  had  been,  and  now  how  fallen !  But  be 
of  good  cheer,  Mr.  Smith.  "Whipping  your  innocent  wife 
won't  damn  you  here,  if  it  does  in  another  world.  He 
talked  on,  however,  in  this  strain,  while  the  company  re- 
mained. All  were  in  tears  but  Mrs.  Smith.  She  knew  the 
sound  too  well,  and  again  had  misgivings.  Of  one  thing 
she  was  sure  —  he  would  never  raise  hands  against  her 
again.    But  she  was  doubtful  of  him  otherwise. 

As  soon  as  their  company  left.  Smith  got  up  from  his  sick 
bed.  He  was  well  now.  He  had  got  the  bird  back  again 
in  the  cage.  Poor,  fluttering  heart!  It  mattered  not  to 
him  now  that  she  shed  no  tears  while  he  was  glorifying  him- 
self, and  telling  of  former  popularity,  while  all  the  others 
were  shedding  tears  at  hearing  his  words.  Never  mind, 
poor  heart,  you  will  have  plenty  to  shed  for  yourself  and 
your  children  in  time. 

Smith  could  not  do  enough,  it  seemed.  He  told  Mrs. 
Smith  how  he  had  fainted,  and  fallen  upon  the  steps  on  the 
Sabbath;  and,  being  eager  to  have  the  bed  made  on  which 
he  had  been  lying,  did  not,  or  would  not,  wait  for  the  ser- 
vant-girl to  be  called  in  to  attend  to  it,  but  lifted  the  bed 
off  himself,  stirred  the  under  bedding,  and  made  it  all  up 
nicely,  so  that  his  rescued  victim  might  rest  from  her  great 
fatigue  and  weariness  of  body  and  mind.  Ye  gods !  not 
much  rest  will  she  get  on  that  befouUed  bed;  for  is  it  not 


AXD   HUSKS   OF  SWINE. 


297 


like  a  bird  befoulling  liis  own  nest,  to  speak  of  private  mat- 
ters, and  tlien  run  wild  to  get  tlie  mate-bird  to  tlie  filtliy 
nest?  But  wliat  cared  lie  tor  that,  so  lie  repossessed  the 
bird? 

For  nearly  nine  long  years  liad  Mrs,  Smith  as  much  as 
possible  kept  this  infernal  injustice  of  Smith,  about  others, 
to  herself — locked  within  her  own  breast.  And  if  it  had 
not  been  for  his  insane  and  very  reprehensible  imprudence, 
it  would  have  forever  remained  there,  or  descended  to  the 
grave  with  her,  and  gone  into  the  other  world,  ^vith  her  lips 
sealed  on  this  subject.  So  little  was  it  known,  that  persons 
without  were  ^^erfectly  astonished  —  persons  who  had  seen 
them  together,  and  thought  they  esteemed  one  another  so 
very  much.  This  was  indeed  true  on  her  part  —  so  long  as 
she  could  excuse  and  forgive  his  private  injuries  and  abuses. 
But  after  the  thing  through  him  got  out,  which  she  had  so 
sedulously  guarded,  especially  from  her  foes  of  the  house- 
hold, how  could  she,  if  she  could  help  it,  let  them  know  that 
their  father  was  thus  daily  and  nightly  torturing  her,  when, 
if  they  did  know  it,  they  would  rejoice  over  it,  and  make 
it  twofold  more  difficult  to  get  obedience  from  the  ser- 
vants already  slack  in  their  duty,  when  headed  by  these 
willing  allies  in  an  insubordinate  family?  The  father,  the 
son  and  daughter,  and  servant,  were  all  too  mtich  for  one 
poor  little  woman.  But  now  Smith  and  the  devil  had  got 
it  out,  and  she  was  not  righted.  She  had  al-ways  determined 
that  at  some  future  day,  in  God's  own  time,  her  version  of 
the  story  should  go  abroad  through  all  the  earth.  And  let 
him  liho  dares,  contradict  it.  AVho  will  own  such  a  sire  as 
Smith?  We  know  no  such  man.  And  yet  all  this  tale  is 
as  true  as  the  sun  ever  shone  —  but  the  name.  But  there 
was  a  real  name,  and  it  could  be  given,  if  necessary. 

"We  have,  during  our  progress  through  these  pages  of  sor- 
row, often  reverted  to  the  conduct  of  gentlemen  —  of  the 


298 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


treatment  of  some  towards  woman.  Shall  we  paint  our 
ideal  of  a  man  f  man  made  in  the  image  of  his  Maker  ? 
"We  cannot  have  all  tall  men,  unless  physiology  was  more 
attended  to  —  as  the  wise  husbandman  pays  attention  to 
and  selects  the  seeds  that  are  to  bring  him  the  finest  pro- 
ductions. But  we  would  have  our  ideal  full  five  feet  ten 
inches,  or  six  feet.  Tall  and  manly,  massive  brow,  and 
powerful  intellect.  It  matters  not  so  much  whether  he  has 
a  ruddy,  fair  skin,  as  a  fair  heart.  He  must  rank  among 
white  people,  however,  as  we  have  no  fancy  for  the  sable 
color  —  though  his  honest  cheeks  might  be  bronzed  by  the 
sun  of  heaven,  and  yet  be  glorious  to  look  upon  in  our 
eye.  He  must  be  nohle  in  every  pulsation  of  his  heart. 
Magnanimous  and  brave.  Brave  enough  to  do  right  under 
all  circumstances.  We  care  not  if  he  is  a  philosopher,  a 
lawyer,  a  prophet,  a  priest,  or  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  a 
merchant  or  mechanic,  or  day-laborer,  or  sailor  on  the 
mighty  deep,  or  a  lord.  But  lie  must  be  a  Christian.  And 
if  a  husband,  one  who  had  knowledge  enough  to  view  the 
marriage  relation  in  its  true  sense ;  would  love  his  wife  — 
as  Christ  loved  the  church  —  enough  to  lay  down  his  life 
for  her,  if  necessary.  Anticipating  all  her  wants  and 
wishes,  sure  of  having  his  own  anticipated  in  return.  A 
man  whose  whole  delight,  next  to  his  Maker,  is  his  wife. 
Who  ever  looks  upon  her  as  the  joy  of  his  life,  the  light  of 
his  eye,  and  pride  of  his  heart.  Yea,  happy  is  that  man 
that  is  in  such  a  state.  There  is  so  much  more  that  might 
be  said  of  this  man,  language  would  fail  us  to  describe  him. 
He  is  like  the  cedars  of  Lebanon.  He  is  like  the  angels. 
He  is  like  the  good  God,  the  great  Father.  He  looks  down 
with  smiles  upon  his  loved  ones,  and  beautiful  is  his  glorious 
face  —  reflection  of  his  Maker.  He  looks,  and  imparts 
happiness  and  bliss  in  all  his  household.  None  grow  sor- 
rowful and  gloomy  on  beholding  him.    But  the  beatitude 


AND   HUSKS   OF  STTINE. 


299 


of  his  manlr,  godlike  face  spreads  liglit  and  sunshine  all 
around.  The  tread  of  his  feet  is  music  in  one  pair  of  ears 
at  least,  and  mayhap  in  many  others,  if  there  are  little  ones 
to  share  the  joys  of  this  image  of  a  father  made  of  God. 
Thus  high  is  he  in  our  picture-gallery.  And  "^vhat  -woman 
■would  not  worship  such  a  man  as  this  next  to  her  God,  her 
Maker? 

The  reverse  of  this  character  of  man  is  already  painted 
in  the  hero  of  these  pages  —  Smith.  "Well,  do  you  iiovi 
■want  our  description  of  the  good  "woman  —  the  whole 
■^•oman?  AVe  can  hardly  describe  her.  The  good  man  can 
sooner  find  her  than  we  can  fully  depict  her.  As  is  the 
man,  so  is  the  ■woman.  She  must  be  everything  that  is 
noble,  great,  and  good.  The  Scriptures  are  replete  with  her 
picture.  The  thirty-first  chapter  of  Proverbs  contains  a 
beautiful  painting  of  her.  Sarah,  of  old  Testament  memory, 
is  held  forth  as  a  model  to  us,  in  obeymg  Abraham,  calling 
him  Lord.  The  only  objection  we  have  to  Abraham  is  that 
of  his  obeying  Sarah  to  the  spoiling  of  the  peace  of  the 
family,  in  the  case  of  Hagar.  And,  consequently,  we  do 
not  consider  Sarah  as  perfect  a  sample  as  we  might  find  in 
this  century.  Glorious  things  are  spoken  of  the  women  of 
Zion,  and  much  praise  do  they  deserve  in  this  day  and  time. 
But  not  those  who  are  so  graphically  described  in  the  third 
chapter  of  Isaiah.  "Moreover  the  Lord  saith.  Because  the 
daughters  of  Zion  are  haughty,  and  walk  with  stretched 
forth  necks  and  wanton  eyes,  walking  and  mincing  as  they 
go,  and  making  a  tinkling  with  their  feet:  therefore  the 
Lord  will  smite  with  a  scab  the  crown  of  the  head  of  the 
daughters  of  Zion.  ...  In  that  day  the  Lord  will  take 
away  the  bravery  of  their  tinkling  ornaments  about  their 
feet,  and  their  cauls,  and  their  round  tires  like  the  moon, 
the  chains,  and  the  bracelets,  and  the  mufflers,  the  bonnets, 
and  the  ornaments  of  the  legs,  and  the  headbands,  and  the 


300 


BREAD   OF  HEAVEN, 


tablets,  and  the  earrings,  the  rings  and  nose  jewels,  the 
changeable  suits  of  ajiparel,  and  the  mantles,  and  the  wim- 
ples, and  the  crisping-pins,  the  glasses,  and  the  fine  linen, 
and  the  hoods,  and  the  vails.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
that  instead  of  sweet  smell  there  shall  be  stink ;  and  instead 
of  a  girdle  a  rent;  and  instead  of  well-set  hair  baldness; 
and  instead  of  a  stomacher  a  girding  of  sackcloth ;  and 
burning  instead  of  beauty.  .  .  .  And  she  being  desolate 
shall  sit  upon  the  ground." 

Have  we  not  suffered-  enough?  Why  invoke  any  more 
curses  upon  devoted  heads  by  folly  and  vanity?  During 
the  late  war  that  swept  over  our  country  like  a  whirlpool 
of  destruction  that  had  drawn  within  its  dread  vortex  all 
our  interests,  our  daughters  vowed  they  would  no  more  wear 
those  goods  coming  from  whence  they  considered  all  their 
troubles  came.  No  sooner  was  the  war  over,  than  those 
very  daughters  vied  with  one  another  to  see  who  could  pile 
the  most  of  this  costly  finery  on.  Beautiful  silks,  three 
yards  long  in  some  cases,  to  trail  the  ground  in  the  dust. 
And  we  have  heard  of  one-thousand  and  three-thousand 
dollar  dresses  for  some  of  our  daughters.  And  on  one  oc- 
casion we  saw  the  nodding  of  a  plume,  half-way  down  to 
the  shoulders  of  a  lady,  in  a  place  where  hundreds,  and 
perhaps  thousands,  of  the  sister  womanhood  were  almost 
starving  for  bread.  "We  mentally  said,  Will  she  plough 
the  fiery  deep  for  these  gewgaws,  and  let  her  sister  woman 
perish  almost  at  her  door? 

What  does  all  this  bespeak?  A  mighty  sore,  an  ulcer, 
a  deadly -eating  cancer  somewhere.  Some  people  think 
cancers  can  never  be  cured.  Well,  then,  are  our  daughters 
^one?  It  is  not  for  us  to  regulate  or  dictate  the  dress  of  a 
nation.  But  while  a  nation  is  under  a  curse  already,  does  " 
it  behoove  it  to  riot  in  luxury  and  pride,  and  let  their 
fellow-beings  sufier  for  the  very  necessaries  of  life?  And 


AND  HrSE:s  OF  SWIXE. 


301 


vrould  it  not  have  been  more  in  accordance  with  good  taste 
alone,,  for  us  to  have  paid  more  attention  to  essential  points, 
and  left  superfluous  ones  alone?  Would  it  not  have  recom- 
mended itself  to  our  Maker?  We  talk  not  of  the  proud 
oppressor.  We  would  not  humble  ourselves  to  him,  but  to 
our  Maker?  Tastv  dress  and  neat  dress,  by  all  means,  but 
none  of  your  Alps  and  Adas  mountain  heights  heaped  upon 
our  poor  frail  bodies,  to  the  utter  disfigurement  thereof,  an 
offence  in  the  sight  of  heaven,  and,  if  the  smell  of  earth 
goes  up  to  heaven  instead  of  sweet,  a  stink ;  because  in  this 
pile  of  finery  may  be  the  blood  and  bones  of  some  of  those 
hated  ones  whom  God  has  left  here  to  try  your  virtue  by. 
'•'The  poor  ye  have  always  with  you  ;  but  me  ye  have  not 
always."'  Especially  those  Judases  who  have  the  bag  of 
money,  and  keep  what  is  therein,  and  are  rnighiy  zealous  for 
the  poor  when  it  comes  to  giving  to  Christ,  which  He  con- 
siders Himself.  '"'Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one 
of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto 
me."'  This  subject  alone  is  inexhaustible.  Our  digression, 
therefore,  will  be  too  long,  and  hence  we  hasten  on.  There 
is  not  much  more  to  be  said,  as  we  are  verging  to  the  close 
of  our  story  for  the  present. 

There  are  one  or  two  more  characters,  however,  we  wish 
to  advert  to.  First,  that  of  the  bachelor  —  the  old  bachelor, 
as  he  is  styled.  He  is  called  an  enemy  to  his  country,  be- 
cause he  has  not  married,  and  reared  up  children.  He  is 
an  honor  to  his  country,  because  he  has  not  married,  and 
raised  up  such  children  as  some  with  which  our  country  is 
cursed.  He  is  a  brave  man,  because  he  has  chosen  to  sufier 
alone,  rather  than  bring  some  good  woman  into  suffering, 
and  because  he  has  not  married  as  Smith  did,  and  buried 
one  wife  in  the  prime  of  her  life,  and  then  tried  to  abuse 
another  to  death. 

Second,  the  single  woman.  How  heroic  she  is,  to  be  and 
26 


302 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN, 


continue  all  alone,  treading  her  solitary  way  through  life, 
rather  than  marry  an  uncongenial  brute  of  a  man  to  be 
misused  all  her  life,  and  not  only  suffer  herself,  but  have 
her  helpless  offspring  in  such  a  condition  that  they  must 
suffer  also.  We  do  not  mean  the  ordinary  suffering  that 
comes  to  the  lot  of  all  mankind,  but  those  extraordinary 
troubles  that  grow  out  of  the  unbridled  passions  of  mankind, 
such  as  jealousy  and  drunkenness,  and  a  host  of  others  that 
might  be  named  that  come  of  legalized  prostitution;  for 
where  a  man  acts  the  brute  towards  the  woman  he  marries, 
it  is  legal  prostitution.  We  can  make  nothing  less  of  it. 
It  is  not  marriage  as  God  intended  it. 

And  now,  dear  reader,  we  will  prepare  to  bid  you  good- 
by  for  a  time.  At  some  future  time,  if  it  is  deemed  suit- 
able, and  we  have  opportunity,  we  will  present  the  sequel 
of  this  Bread  of  Heaven,  and  Husks  of  Swine ;  or  the  Curse 
of  Jealousy  to  you.  We  have  touched  on  some  points  of 
interest,  as  they  occurred  to  us  in  our  progress  through 
these  pages,  and  now  hasten  to  take  our  leave  of  Smith  and 
Mrs.  Smith  for  the  present.  We  have  heard  of  the  widows 
of  China  being  burned  on  the  funeral  pile  of  their  deceased 
husbands  while  the  warm  blood  still  coursed  through  their 
veins.  What  is  that  to  the  torture  both  of  body  and  soul, 
to  a  fine  mind,  for  many,  many  long  years?  In  our  future 
work  we  expect  to  glance  over  seven  long  years  after  this 
sad  affair,  to  which  the  torture  Mrs.  Smith  had  borne  before 
was  as  but  a  drop.  How  he,  Smith,  falsified  his  word. 
How  he  let  her  be  persecuted  to  death  (death  of  happiness !) 
vv^ithout  ever  manfully  clearing  up  the  matter.  Oh  ye 
Smithfield  fires  of  England !  what  are  your  flames  compared 
with  what  she  bore?  Ye  torture  and,  in  truth,  consume 
your  victims'  bodies  in  a  few  moments,  or  hours  at'  most, 
but  she  was  kept  burning  for  seven  long  years  without  con- 
suming, until  death  put  a  stop  to  any  further  persecutions 


AND   HUSKS  OF  SWINE. 


303 


from  him,  and  left  those  that  he  had  educated  for  the  pur- 
pose, to  continue  the  perpetration,  and  complete  what  he 
had  begun.  In  all  this  the  smell  of  fire  was  not  on  her,  for 
the  God  of  Shadrach-,  Meshach,  and  Abednego  was  with 
her.  And  although  much  distressed  about  him  when  he 
died,  and  sorrowing  to  see  him  die,  and  sorrow  for  herself 
and  little  ones, —  for  a  glance  through  the  vista  of  the  future 
foretold,  in  part,  what  she  would  suffer, — yet  the  word  of 
God  came  in  this  hour  of  distress  as  a  visiting  angel,  and 
said  to  her,  "  The  heavens  do  rule." 

All  her  lifetime  she  had  wished  for  some  blessed,  conge- 
nial spirit  to  love  with  all  the  ardor  of  her  heaven-born  and 
heaven-bound  soul,  and  to  be  beloved  in  return.  And  this 
sad  life  Smith  had  led  her  was  the  return  she  met  with  in  his 
embraces,  and  that  of  his  unholy  family.  And,  oh,  we  could 
this  day  weep  over  all  the  sorrows  of  mortal  life  till  we 
shed  tears  of  blood,  if  it  would  avail  anything.  Yet  are  the 
embers  of  hope  in  our  breast.  For  we  repose  on  the  bosom 
of  God,  and  expect,  w^ith  longing  eyes  stretched  forth,  to  see 
the  promise  of  God  that  the  wicked  shall  cease  from  trou- 
bling and  the  weary  shall  find  rest.  She  is  still  looking 
upon  high  to  see  if  "  the  heavens  do  (indeed)  rule." 

All  this  horrid  treatment  of  Smith  towards  his  wife, 
briefly  sketched  in  the  foregoing  pages,  was  often  rehearsed 
by  him  to  his  wife  in  private.  And  he  would  always  say 
that  he  believed  her  to  be  as  pure  as  an  angel  in  heaven  ; 
and  that  he  did  not  think  there  was  such  another  woman 
on  earth  so  pure,  so  holy ;  and  he  was  sure  he  never  loved 
one  so  well  before.  Pity  the  one  he  loved  less  then.  He 
assigned  as  a  reason  for  his  jealousies  that  he  did  not  think 
any  man  could  see  her  without  loving  her.  And  to  be  in 
her  company,  he  thought  her  absolutely  irresistible.  And 
he  did  not  wish  any  one  to  see  her  but  himself,  lest  he  might 
love  her.  How  he  deceived  himself.  Love,  true  love,  works 


304 


BREAD  OF  HEAVEN. 


no  ill  to  another.  But  in  this  case  the  cup  of  matrimonial 
bliss  was  put  to  his  lips  by  his  gracious  and  divine  giver 
of  every  good  and  perfect  gift,  (for  a  good  wife  is  from  the 
Lord,)  and,  like  an  infuriated  and  infatuated  madman,  he 
dashed  it  away  from  him,  and  in  ten  thousand  pieces 
broke  the  precious  vessel,  and  let  the  blessing  slip.  .  .  . 
She  baptized  all  her  sorrows  with  tears,  and  still  lived  on 
and  hoped  on.  "  Hope  on,  hope  ever,"  is  a  favorite  motto, 
nor  will  it  be  extinct  while  the  vital  spark  remains  in  the 
mortal  tenement.  A  burning  bush  not  consumed  —  a  living 
martyr,  that  will  not  die  till  called  for ;  from  whose  holy 
ashes.  Phoenix-like,  we  are  looking  for  and  hoping  much  and 
great  happiness  to  arise.  "  I  am  as  a  wonder  unto  many," 
(said  she,)  "  but  thou  art  my  strong  refuge.  Thou,  who 
hast  showed  me  great  and  sore  troubles,  shalt  quicken  me 
again,  and  shalt  bring  me  up  again  from  the  depths  of  the 
earth.  Thou  shalt  increase  my  greatness,  and  comfort  me 
on  every  side."  Thus  shall  it  be  with  the  man  or  woman 
who  makes  the  Lord  his  trust. 

Kate  Mueray. 


THE  END. 


Date  Due 


Torm  o35.    45M  8-37. 

613^49        M932B  314953 
Murray  


Bread  of  Heaven  and 


Hiisks  of  Swine 


ISSUED  TO 


313. 49  M982B  314953 


